🌙 Tekin Night June 24: Thiel's Secret Network Exposed & ETH Crisis

Wednesday night ends with fresh and adventurous stories from the tech and gaming world. Tonight we have fascinating news from Ethereum's financial crisis to the exposure of an ultra-private social network and NASA's moon program challenges. Let's dive into these stories and see what's happening in the industry.

Ethereum and the Staking Tax Dilemma That Angered Everyone

One of the most controversial topics last week in the crypto world was the strange proposal for a tax on Ethereum staking rewards. This proposal, which was supposed to take 10% of stakers' income and allocate it to Ethereum ecosystem development, met with extremely negative reaction from the community.

Where did it all start? The Ethereum Foundation announced it faces a 40% budget cut and can't cover operational and development costs. For this reason, several senior developers proposed either imposing a staking tax or seeking funding from large ETH holders (whales) for new organizations like EthLabs.

But why was this proposal so controversial? The reason is simple: Ethereum stakers felt they were being punished for contributing to network security. When you participate in a decentralized protocol and lock up your capital, you expect to receive rewards for your risk - not give a significant portion of your rewards to a centralized organization.

Is Ethereum Really Facing a Financial Crisis?

But the main question is: is Ethereum really facing a financial crisis? According to CoinTelegraph reports, the issue is somewhat more complex than it appears. The Ethereum Foundation is still considered one of the wealthiest crypto organizations and holds large amounts of ETH.

The main problem is resource management and cost inflation. Over the past few years, the Foundation has expanded its team, started many projects, and committed to supporting independent developers. All this has caused operational costs to increase dramatically.

Now the main debate is whether we should take money from the ecosystem itself (meaning stakers), or use the Foundation's existing capital and optimize the cost structure. Recent polls show that over 85% of the Ethereum community opposes the staking tax and believes the Foundation should first downsize itself.

Dialog: When the Billionaires' Secret Network Accidentally Goes Public

Now for one of tonight's most interesting stories. Dialog is an ultra-private social network founded by Peter Thiel (one of PayPal's founders and Facebook's first investor). This network is built only for elites - politicians, tech company executives, billionaires, and influential people.

But a few days ago, something strange happened. Dialog announced it had been hacked and member information was leaked. This news worried many, as membership in this network indicates sensitive political and business connections.

But Wired, which conducted deep research on this matter, reached an interesting conclusion: there was no hack at all! In fact, a simple misconfiguration on Dialog's website caused member information - including names, phone numbers, emails, and even profile pictures - to be publicly accessible.

Why Does This Matter?

You might ask, what's the significance of exposing a social network's member list? Well, Dialog isn't an ordinary network. This network is designed for confidential communications between powerful people. When we know who's connected with whom, we can better understand political and economic patterns.

For example, now we know which politicians are on the same private platform with which tech executives. This can show which laws and policies might be influenced by which interest groups.

What's more interesting is that Dialog tried to present the matter as a "hack" to absolve itself of responsibility. But Wired's investigation showed this was just a simple security mistake - something that shouldn't happen in a platform claiming high security.

NASA and the Dangerous Dependency on SpaceX

NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon is one of the most ambitious space projects of recent decades. But a fresh report from Gizmodo shows this program faces a major problem: extreme dependence on SpaceX and inadequate space infrastructure.

According to the current plan, NASA needs at least 15 Starship launches to get astronauts to the Moon. Why so many? Because Starship must first get itself to Earth orbit, then refuel multiple times (from other Starships that go to orbit only as fuel tankers), and then go to the Moon.

This means in a short timeframe, you have to launch a giant rocket 15 times. The problem is that Kennedy Space Center - which is supposed to host these launches - doesn't have the necessary infrastructure for this volume of operations.

Does This Mean Artemis Mission Will Be Delayed?

Well, most likely yes. NASA currently says it will send humans back to the Moon by 2028, but given these infrastructure problems, many think this date is unrealistic.

The problem isn't just launch pads. SpaceX itself is still in the Starship testing phase. So far only a few test launches have occurred and we haven't had a completely successful launch (with safe landing) yet. Now imagine having to launch this rocket 15 times consecutively and flawlessly - with human lives depending on it.

Game Pass: Games Everyone's Playing Right Now

Now let's move to lighter and more pleasant news. Microsoft has released a new report on the most popular Xbox Game Pass games, and this year's list is really interesting.

First place goes to Forza Horizon 6. This version with its new Japan map has managed to attract everyone's attention with stunning graphics and realistic driving feel. From Tokyo's busy streets to Mount Fuji's mountain roads, this game offers an unparalleled experience of Japanese car culture.

Second place belongs to Escape the Backrooms - a co-op horror game based on the Backrooms internet meme. In this game, you and your friends get trapped in an infinite space of yellow empty rooms, and must find the way out - while scary creatures chase you.

Mixtape took third place. This is a narrative game from the creators of Life is Strange about three teenagers living in the 1980s. The game's soundtrack featuring real songs from that era is one of its main strengths.

Subnautica 2, the fourth most popular game on the list, has surprised many. The first Subnautica was one of the best survival games, but was only single-player. Now the second version, by adding co-op mode, has turned the underwater exploration experience into a group adventure. You can build underwater bases with friends, go to scary depths, and face giant creatures.

Echo Generation 2 takes fifth place - a nostalgic RPG with voxel graphics reminiscent of 90s games.

Why Is Game Pass So Successful?

Game Pass's success comes down to several reasons. First, by paying a fixed monthly fee (about $17), you get access to over 500 games. Second, all Microsoft exclusive games are in Game Pass from day one. Third, you can play games on Xbox, PC, and even mobile (through Cloud Gaming).

This subscription-based model is changing the gaming industry. You no longer need to pay $70 for each game. Instead, you can try hundreds of games and only spend time on games you really like.

CULTIC: Return of Retro Style to Consoles

One of tonight's exciting news for retro game fans is the announcement of CULTIC's release for next-gen consoles. This first-person shooter made by Jasozz Games and published by Atari will be released on July 23 for PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch 2.

CULTIC is a retro-style game visually designed like classic 90s games such as Blood, Heretic, and Duke Nukem 3D. But gameplay-wise, it has modern and complex mechanics that deepen the gaming experience.

The game's story is about someone kidnapped by a mysterious cult who must escape from their secret base. Throughout the game, you face various strange enemies and must use different weapons and smart tactics to make your way.

The game was previously released on PC and managed to get a Very Positive rating from Steam users. Now with console release, more fans can have this experience.

An interesting note is that CULTIC is one of the first games officially announced for Switch 2. This confirms that Nintendo is slowly introducing its next console - even if it hasn't had an official reveal yet.

Valve and the Bargaining Power Crisis with RAM Companies

And finally, news that might not attract much attention but has a direct impact on tech product prices. Valve in a new interview with IGN revealed a bitter reality: the company has no bargaining power against RAM manufacturers.

According to Valve executives, when they want to buy RAM for Steam Machine or Steam Deck, manufacturing companies tell them: "You can buy this quantity at this price. Yes or no?" And if Valve says no, that company never contacts them again and the purchase opportunity is lost.

This is a sign of RAM companies' monopolistic power. Currently, almost all of the world's RAM market is in the hands of three major companies: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. These three companies can control prices and dictate their own terms.

What Does This Mean for Us?

This issue directly affects the prices of products we buy. When Valve is forced to buy RAM at higher prices, it must pass this price increase to customers. For this reason, Steam Machine, which was supposed to be released at $599, is now coming at $699.

And this isn't just specific to Valve. All laptop, computer, and console manufacturing companies face the same problem. As long as the RAM market is in the hands of a few companies, this problem will continue.

One potential solution is new companies entering the RAM production market. But this requires billions in investment, which is why few companies are willing to take this risk.