>It is well known that the Genesis block...contains the message: 'The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks'. Presumably this is a political commentary
Actually, it was the way Satoshi showed that he hadn't pre-mined any bitcoins, by using the title of a headline on the same day that he started mining (as there was no way to fake that).
Surely it's both? Embedding a headline is a great way to prove it wasn't generated in advance, but there are thousands of headlines he could have used, and he picked that particular one.
Actually, it was the way Satoshi showed that he hadn't pre-mined any bitcoins, by using the title of a headline on the same day that he started mining (as there was no way to fake that).