Bitcoin Forum

Other => Off-topic => Topic started by: casascius on December 19, 2012, 05:33:21 PM



Title: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: casascius on December 19, 2012, 05:33:21 PM
I just did a Google search for "buy bitcoin" and noticed an interesting looking sponsored ad for "BloodBanker.org":

Quote
Ads related to buy bitcoin
BitCoin of Blood Supply. - How blood shortages are stopped. (http://www.bloodbanker.org)
www.bloodbanker.org (http://www.bloodbanker.org)
Sustainable peer-to-peer currency.
Request an Invite - How it Works - Login - About

The site goes on to introduce some novel concept about how you can donate blood, and get "BloodCoins" which you can use later if you need blood.  Their home page says they're a 501(c)3 charity that accepts donations.

The site seems to use the concept of Bitcoin as a marketing tool, and has nothing to do with Bitcoin, block chains, or any technology related.  "BloodCoins" are probably nothing more than entries in their database.

But interestingly, they accept donations via PayPal and not Bitcoin.  Surely this must be because they haven't set themselves up with a provider like BitPay yet, and not because they are not convinced of the merits of sustainable peer-to-peer currency!


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: Yuhfhrh on December 19, 2012, 05:37:50 PM
Lol?  :D


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: kiba on December 19, 2012, 05:51:29 PM
Maybe they're a scam.


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: greyhawk on December 19, 2012, 05:55:24 PM
Maybe they're a scam.

What are they gonna do? Sell my blood to vampires?


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: misterbigg on December 19, 2012, 06:27:56 PM
Wow!! Great lulz here.

Hard to imagine what someone will think when they go searching for Bitcoin but instead are presented with an opportunity to receive an I.O.U. payable in blood?


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: paybitcoin on December 20, 2012, 04:53:05 AM
This is exactly the sort of thing that trademark law is supposed to prevent...  :-\


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: repentance on December 20, 2012, 05:14:47 AM
So it's pretty much just a private blood bank.

Quote
This is exactly the sort of thing that trademark law is supposed to prevent...

You're going to have a hard time enforcing any kind of trademark to prevent an organisation using "xxx coins".   


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: paybitcoin on December 20, 2012, 05:51:57 AM
So it's pretty much just a private blood bank.

Quote
This is exactly the sort of thing that trademark law is supposed to prevent...

You're going to have a hard time enforcing any kind of trademark to prevent an organisation using "xxx coins".   

In their ad it is called the "BitCoin of Blood Supply". This looks like intention to deceive users that they are somehow associated with Bitcoin, especially when they are advertising under google searches for "buy bitcoin". Like if you make a fast scooter and advertise as the "Ferrari of Electric Scooters" in a google ad for "buy ferrari", you would probably get a call from Ferrari's lawyers.

Not that I personally mind them using it, however I find it very interesting that they choose to introduce their service by mentioning it in relation to Bitcoin, rather than some other fundamentals (peer to peer currency, nonprofit registry, etc.)

I guess Bitcoin is mainstream now?  :P


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: repentance on December 20, 2012, 01:39:03 PM
I guess Bitcoin is mainstream now?  :P

I wouldn't exactly call the idea of a blood bank from which you can only obtain blood if you donate "mainstream".  It's interesting that not one of their board members is a health professional.  Their claim that blood bank shortages are in any way related to "worldwide economic stability" is also rather dubious.


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: Adrian-x on December 20, 2012, 05:32:29 PM
Are there other ways to mine Bloodcoins, can you buy multiple blood miners?  ;)


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: Monster Tent on December 21, 2012, 02:36:17 AM
Wouldnt it be great if you could earn bitcoins by donating blood....or "other" bodily fluids  ;)


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: casascius on December 21, 2012, 03:06:25 AM
Wouldnt it be great if you could earn bitcoins by donating blood....or "other" bodily fluids  ;)

You already can, there's PPCoins.


Title: Re: BloodCoins and BloodBanker.org, the Bitcoin of Blood?
Post by: gabbergabe on December 24, 2012, 12:54:39 AM
pp coins eh?