Merge branch 'main' into michelleellen-patch-2

posts/2024-05-10_kv-stores-indexer/README.md

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 ---
-title: "Key/Value Stores: How We Improved the Performance of Our tx-indexer by 10x"
 publication_date: 2024-05-10T13:37:00Z
 slug: kv-stores-indexer
 tags: [blog, post, tx-indexer, dev]

posts/2024-05-21_the-gnome/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+---
+publication_date: 2024-05-21T12:33:00Z
+slug: the-gnome
+tags: [gnome, brand-update, new-logo]
+authors: [gno.land]
+---
+
+# Introducing our new Gno.land logo: the gnome
+
+[![banner](https://gnolang.github.io/blog/2024-05-21_the-gnome/src/thumbs/banner.png)](https://gnolang.github.io/blog/2024-05-21_the-gnome/src/banner.png)
+
+We are excited to introduce our new Gno.land logo, a significant shift that 
+reflects the true spirit of our project.
+
+From the very beginning, the character of the "gnome" has been a source of 
+inspiration for gno.land, representing the essence of our journey and values.
+In time, this character has not only inspired our project but has also become
+part of gno.land’s identity. 
+
+The black hole of the previous logo represented 
+finality, inevitability, the ultimate end state, and was an interesting 
+representation of something that cannot be seen; but it also had nothing to do
+with gnomes. Gnomes are warm and inviting in character, are the opposite of the
+cold and unemotional void of black holes, where all that is known is pulled in 
+and ceases to exist.
+
+_But why gnomes?_
+
+In Greek, _gnomi_ means “the means of knowing; mind; intelligence; judgment”. 
+_Gnomic poetry_ refers to a type of poetry involving short memorable maxims of 
+wisdom that flourished in the 6th century in Greece. Today, when we hear _gnome_ 
+we think of earth-dwelling figures often found in lush blue-green gardens,
+guarding or simply enjoying the land they are in.
+
+Nobody knows for sure the origin of these gnomes, but the earliest known
+reference to it comes from Paracelsus as _gnomus_, a Swiss Christian theologian 
+philosopher and alchemist of the Renaissance. He also called them _pygmies_ in 
+his _“A book on Nymphs, Sylphs, Pygmies, and Salamanders, and on Other Spirits”_
+published in 1566, a study on myth creatures as they relate to Christianity.
+
+While the depiction of gnomes are varied, their general character was described
+by Paracelsus:
+_“the Pygmies (gnomes) are mountain people who keep pledges, are honest, hard 
+working, loyal to man, and “have money, because they themselves coin it” -
+Paracelsus_
+
+(perhaps Paracelsus would have preferred to be identified as a gnome, since he was also an alchemist).
+
+This character is consistent with Swiss folklore, as gnomes are said to have 
+caused the landslide that destroyed the Swiss village of Plurs in 1618 - the
+villagers had become wealthy from a local gold mine created by the gnomes, who
+had poured liquid gold down into a vein for the benefit of humans. The villagers
+were corrupted by this newfound prosperity, which greatly offended the Gnomes. 
+(Wikipedia on Gnomes).
+
+By combining Swiss folklore and the original description by Paracelsus, we can 
+describe gnomes in the following manner:  
+・At first, gnomes create timeless value for humanity.  
+・Humanity becomes corrupted through greed and abuses these timeless values.  
+・Finally, the gnomes take remedial action.  
+
+Whether the timeless value is that of an element such as gold, or that of a
+protocol such as crypto(currencies), gnomes are hardworking alchemists who wish
+the best for humanity and actively resist corruption and greed as a matter of 
+principle. This quality of character is sorely needed in the field of 
+cryptocurrencies and blockchain, where it is so easy to become corrupted by 
+greed and bag-holder syndrome, resulting in stalled innovation and broken 
+promises at best, and the loss of life savings and the death of the wellbeing 
+of entire communities at worse (thus far).
+
+Our field of crypto needs more gnomes to create timeless software and protocols
+for humanity. Such technology should be:  
+・intuitive (easy to use and understand)  
+・expressive (for societal infrastructure; finance, social, knowledge)  
+・finalized (completed)  
+・secure (unhackable)  
+・scalable (affordable)  
+
+These are timeless values we strive to bring to the world through gno.land. In
+addition, gnomes are not afraid to take a stance against greed and evil. Some
+say that gnomes wear the Phrygian cap, which represents Zoroaster, the “three Magi”
+from the east, or the revolutionary pursuit of liberty. Gnomes are also earth
+dwellers, masons of the rock, and the guardians of the land.
+
+Gnomes are thus an ideal representation of the builders behind gno.land. That’s
+why the logo had to change. We hope you like the new logo, an iconic depiction 
+of the gnome with cap; and hope that the gnomic spirit can help guide us to build
+a better honest world for all of us.
+
+_- the gnomes of gno.land_
+
+