Pi's hit 7 million "engaged" pioneers, so sez the official announcement, up 1 million from (almost) exactly a month ago.

Now, I've got my crotchety doubts about that "engaged" bit, but here is why anyone should care (not about my crotchetiness, but the number of users): when that number reaches 10 million, Pi "mining" (that mining-not-mining I described here) rates halve, from .4 Pi per hour to .2 per hour; and(!) there's a distinct possibility that no new members will be able to "mine."

The core team's being a bit coy about when this speculative mining phone app closes -- if you look at the chart I screenshot (screenshat? screenshotted?) from the app, you'll see there's 3 potential points at which one may miss the boat -- and they are not promising which is which is which.

Now, I'm pretty sure they aren't saying, in order to create what we call in my house "a dirt emergency,*" and my posting this waltzes into their clutches, but. Yeah. So.

All it really means is that if you've been on the fence about whether to download this thing and click daily on the off chance one day Pi might have any value whatsoever -- get on it. A million a month is a remarkable rate, so they'll hit their halving before American Thanksgiving. 

If you need a referral code, mine is below (pinky swear you're a human** with good intentions).

* "Dirt emergency" is a real sales tactic used by folks who door to door sell Kirby vacuum cleaners. They come into your home to demonstrate, and use a black filter...which nicely sets off all the dead skin and dust they suck up -- even if you are OCD clean, you cannot keep up with your skin sloughing. Just how it is. Anyway, when you see all that shit against the black filter, it's supposed to whirl you into a fit of fear of filth --  dirt emergency -- rendering you 500% more interested in a new vacuum than you were 10 minutes earlier.

** at least as good as this

Thanks, as always for reading and tipping. I love all'yall. Comments on Pi, or anything else, taken v v seriously. (*nods*)