One of my favorite film monologues is Hunter S. Thompson's Wave Speech from 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. "San Francisco in the mid-'60s… a sense we were winning… riding a high and beautiful wave." In 1970, Nixon outlawed psychedelics and shut down research, silencing a movement that questioned authority and sought higher consciousness. In 1971, he took the United States off the gold standard, unleashing unchecked government spending. Two moves that severed us from energy, both inner and economic, halting human progress in exchange for control. The wave did not recede naturally, it was forced back. Nixon's war on drugs was about suppressing dissent, not health. The end of the gold standard was more than economic policy; it enabled perpetual war and financial manipulation. Thompson saw the sixties as a lost breakthrough, a moment when humanity stood at the edge of something better, only to be dragged back into the machine. As he brilliantly wrote, that was the moment when the wave finally broke and rolled back.

The BBC’s FOI exemption is deeply troubling, shielding serious scandals from scrutiny. This was the first response I received from the BBC when I tried to hold them accountable for their misinformation and disinformation. I raised concerns about this exception with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and they said the BBC exemption stands; see their response below. The BBC has inflicted notable harm by consistently promoting incorrect and misleading narratives about Bitcoin. This perpetuates negative public perceptions and overshadows its potential as a transformative technology. By framing Bitcoin in a way that often lacks clarity or relies on outdated stereotypes, such as associating it primarily with criminal activity or environmental concerns, the BBC has skewed public understanding and stifled informed discourse. The BBC’s influence as a trusted news outlet amplifies the damage: its narratives have historically shaped opinions that deter adoption, investment, and innovation in a technology that could revolutionise financial inclusion, decentralised systems, and economic sovereignty. This is particularly harmful given Bitcoin’s surged value, reaching a record high of around $109,000, and when global leaders are increasingly recognising its strategic importance, such as the US establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. By obscuring Bitcoin's potential to empower individuals and challenge traditional financial systems, the BBC has delayed societal benefits and reinforced a status quo favouring established institutions over technological progress and freedom. People deserve transparency. The exemption should be scrapped, but then again, so should the BBC.

I made the first Bitcoin transaction at Stringfellows! 💋

The Motley Fool just endorsed XRP, saying: “As an investor, it makes perfect sense to buy and hold both of these assets.” But does it? Even they admit XRP and Bitcoin are very different. One is a censorship-resistant protocol, the other controlled by a company. One is sound money, the other a “zombie coin” (Forbes). XRP has been tied up in SEC lawsuits, its price driven by speculation, and its supply controlled by Ripple. On the other hand, Bitcoin is the only truly sound, permissionless monetary network. The Motley Fool should know better.

The Motley Fool

Is XRP the New Bitcoin? | The Motley Fool

Is XRP the New Bitcoin?

Orwell’s 1984 warned us about this. Surveillance is everywhere, privacy is being destroyed, and CBDCs are the final boss. The £2 coin quoting ‘Big Brother is Watching You’—is this a tribute, or are they laughing at us?

The Standard

George Orwell celebrated on new £2 coin to mark 75 years since 1984 author's death

The Royal Mint said the commemorative coin is being released to mark the 75th anniversary of the author’s death