Bitcoin Forum

[FORTUNE]   The clock is ticking on Bitcoin

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/17/the-clock-is-ticking-on-bitcoin/

This is a link to the original article in its current state (right-click save-as): 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/993053/Created/Personal/The%20Clock%20is%20Ticking%20on%20Bitcoin%20%5BFortune%5D.odt

_________________________________________________________

BRUCE WAGNER'S RESPONSE TO THE FINISHED ARTICLE FOLLOWS:


Below is my latest email back to the author of the article, Daniel Roberts....

_________________________________________________________




On our phone call....  we left off at number 8 below.

____________

I THINK YOU SHOULD CALL ME URGENTLY!        646-580-0022

(1)   Meze Grill does not sell burritos.  

(2)   "....although so far not a single customer has paid this way."   //   NOT TRUE.  We paid for our dinner just the other evening in Bitcoin there.

(3)   "....and many of its uses have nothing to do with Silk Road."  //   BLATANTLY MISLEADING.   0.0000000001% of its use has anything to do with Silk Road.   NO ONE I KNOW has ever used Silk Road.  It's blatantly misleading to imply that ANYONE uses Bitcoin for such things.   It's absolutely irresponsible reporting.

(4)   "... In simple terms, here's how it works: After downloading a desktop software client (the most popular one is Dwolla)..."    //   OMG.  This is sooooo inaccurate.   (A)  There is no need to download a desktop client.   (B)  Dwolla has nothing to do with Bitcoin.   (C)  Dwolla is not a desktop client.

(5)   "...each Bitcoin is associated with a URL where users can see the entire history of the coin's use, including every user that bought or sold it..."   //   NOT ACCURATE AT ALL.   This is terribly inaccurate and misleading.

(6)   "Bitcoins have had volatile ups and downs but never a full crash."   //   VERY MISLEADING.  Bitcoin value has gone UP form $0.06 to about $20 today.   That is UP UP UP.  No crash at all.

(7)    "Now there are even other Bitcoin-like currencies, such as Namecoins, which are bought with Bitcoins and used to pay for domain name hosting. Some traders believe the biggest potential is in the limitless creation of these e-currencies."     //   OMG OMG OMG   I NEED TO CALL YOU.  THESE STATEMENTS ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL!

( 8 )    "At the moment, Bitcoins can't really be used at any mainstream retailers. According to a wiki list of businesses that accept Bitcoin, you can use the currency to buy real goods and services, but we're not exactly talking about Amazon.com (AMZN)."   //   OMG OMG OMG   YOU CAN ALREADY USE BITCOIN TO MAKE PURCHASES ON AMAZON.COM  !!!!!!!!   via TradeHill.com..... TODAY!

TRADEHILL IS NOT JUST CONVERTING BITCOIN INTO AMAZON MONEY.

TRADEHILL ALLOWS YOU TO COMPLETELY MAKE THE PURCHASE ---- USING ONLY BITCOIN ---- WITH ONE CLICK.   THAT IS NOT JUST BUYING AMAZON MONEY.

And many many many online retailers are quickly following suit with the Amazon + TradeHill system.

(9)   You mention burritos again....  which Meze Grill does not sell.

(10)   "If they really wanted to ensure they aren't losing money from sales paid with Bitcoins, they'd have to watch the exchange rate closely and adjust their price every single day."    //   This is being solved by new Point of Exchange startups which now accept the correct amount of bitcoin for the dollar amount, sell the bitcoins for dollars instantly, and deposit the US dollars into the merchant's account the next day.   This problem will have been solved totally by the time your article goes to print.

(11)   "If the USA wants to shut it down," Wagner reasons, "the Internet has a way of detecting censorship and rallying around it. They could block Bitcoin transactions, but it would be censorship."    //   Those were two separate unrelated statements.... you combined into one statement.

The first one, ACCURATELY, was:   "If censorship happens on the internet, the internet by its nature sees that as an error and routes around it."

The second one, ACCURATELY, was:   "Most likely, No, the US government could not completely stop the Bitcoin network.  To my understanding, the only way the Bitcoin network can be stopped is to completely stop the internet.  And the only way to completely stop the internet is to make it illegal and confiscate 100% of the computers.  Even then, as long as two computers exist --- in any other country on Earth --- the internet will still exist, and thus.... so will Bitcoin.    If the USA decides to vote for internet censorship --- like they have in China --- it will not slow down Bitcoin at all."

THAT is what I actually said.

(12)   "But in fact, because users all have identifying web IDs, the government could rather easily identify users today, make it illegal to operate a Bitcoin node, and drive users away with the same scare tactics that the content industry uses on illegal downloaders. And censorship protests or not, there isn't much American traders could do."   //   1000% INACCURATE.   Bitcoin users DO NOT HAVE IDENTIFYING WED IDs... NOT AT ALL!   Only about 2% of the Bitcoin users I know actually operate a "Bitcoin node".   That statement is ridiculously misleading.     Even if it were made illegal in the USA, it would most likely not even cause a blip in the Bitcoin network, or the value of a Bitcoin on the global market.

(13)   "The reality is that a currency that has no regulator, trades on an open exchange, and can be easily stolen is one that won't sit well with lawmakers. So whether Bitcoins are a risky investment or not, expect Uncle Sam to keep the average American consumer from ever getting to make that choice."     //   WOW.  This conclusion really sounds like you were TOLD to write this article....  and TOLD what conclusions to make.

The word "Misleading" seems to be a key concept of this article.


Sad.   Very Sad.





Bruce Wagner  •  OnlyOneTV  •  http://onlyonetv.com  •  646-580-0022




On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 12:51 PM, Daniel Roberts <daniel_roberts@fortune.com> wrote:
> Bruce, thanks for speaking to me. I enjoyed getting to know you by phone!
> The story is up and being well received... See anything factually wrong?
> I see some Bitcoiners tweeting it negatively but that's because, I imagine,
> they disagree with our angle/conclusions, which is fine.
>
> But do let me know if there are any errors!
> http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/06/17/the-clock-is-ticking-on-bitcoin/
>
>
> All the best to you,
>
> Daniel Roberts
>
>
> On 6/17/11 11:46 AM, "Bruce Wagner" <bruce@onlyonetv.com> wrote:
>
>> Try do better than BusinessWeek just did....
>>
>> I just asked him if he'd like my spelling and accuracy corrections.
>>
>>       http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_26/b4234041554873.htm
>>
>> I strongly recommend letting me review it just before you post it...
>> In case any language is misleading, etc.
>>
>> I won't complain....   I just wanna help make you look good.
>>
>> :-)
>>
>>
>> Bruce
>>
>>
>> Bruce Wagner  €  OnlyOneTV  €  http://onlyonetv.com  €  646-580-0022
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 10:38 AM, Bruce Wagner <bruce@onlyonetv.com> wrote:
>>> Right now is good.
>>> I'm on cellphone, but that's ok.  Yes?
>>> 646-580-0022
>>>
>>> On Jun 17, 2011 10:34 AM, "Daniel Roberts" <daniel_roberts@fortune.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Ah, okay. Unless right now is good?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 6/17/11 10:03 AM, "Bruce Wagner" <bruce@onlyonetv.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Sounds great.
>>>>> Can we make it 11:00am ET...?
>>>>> 646-580-0022
>>>>>
>>>>> Bruce
>>>>>
>>>>> On Jun 17, 2011 9:00 AM, "Daniel Roberts" <daniel_roberts@fortune.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> Great, thanks Bruce. Basically I already have a nearly complete story
>>>>>>> but I
>>>>>>> have a couple gaps perhaps you could help me fill in: just as a
>>>>>>> preview,
>>>>>>> they involve whether there's anyone that has made big returns by
>>>>>>> investing
>>>>>>> in BTC, and if that's public/who/how much, and the basic fact of
>>>>>>> whether
>>>>>>> exchanges like Mt. Gox or TradeHill charge a transaction fee, which I
>>>>>>> haven't had answered yet. Could I call you around 10:30 EST? Thanks so
>>>>>> much.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Daniel Roberts
>>>>>>> Fortune
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 1271 Ave of the Americas, 18th Floor, 1853B
>>>>>>> New York, NY 10020
>>>>>>> 212 522 8018
>>>>>>> daniel_roberts@fortune.com

It looks like much of the info I provided was taken out of context (and exaggerated) as well.

Oh well, thus is press.  ;)

Wow. Out of context to say the least. They just twist and warp your words until it sounds good for the readers. Pathetic.

;D

the media games are just beginning.  People are stupid, like herd animals, no critical thinking effort, no real truth discovery, its all "wowsa"
and this is the inherent problem with BTC. let me repeat, people are stupid, do you think they can encrypt decrypt etc their wallet
to keep it safe?  The level of technical ability to even use, store, move, keep safe, buy, sell btc is light years beyond the average 100 IQ human.
(actually I think the average is now 85-90 in relation to the old average)

subscribing to this thread

out of context?
he is quite right that the US govt will go after it.

if you think the last two weeks was volatility, look what's ahead.

What do you expect from the ignoramus brigade?  Every article I've read as at least a handful of inaccuracies in it but wanna know something creepy?

They all were more accurate in the past month when this was starting to hit the mainstream media... so after a month all the reports on it are more misleading and more ill informed?  Seems backwards doesn't it?  How did the articles start out by being 90% accurate and now there are just blatant hit pieces with about 20% accuracy.  Well that's because the main stream media is owned lock stock and barrel by the same interests that have everything to lose by widespread BTC adoption.

All the other points were valid, but this one seems misplaced. I think this particular statement in the article is not wrong. It's certainly not "very misleading."  Bitcoin value has not been "up up up," and in fact it would be very misleading for a news article to claim that it has.

oh. looks like that article already changed by a lot.
I referred to the current version.

the media  ::)

Scary thing is that the smear campaign is just getting started.

The best two things that the main stream media can do to keep people away from Bitcoin:

1)  Pretend like it's really easy to get your wallet stolen (and it might be for the computer illiterate)
2)  Allude to a vague illegality regarding the whole thing.  We see that with this article that they are fear-mongering based on complete lies that "You have an ID and can be tracked" and "it will be illegal in the near future so don't even bother" with the clear insinuation that you might be going to prison.

Total fear-mongering.

But like I always say, the best money isn't even in creating money out of thin air; it's keeping people afraid.

We need a section of this forum entirely dedicated to Public Relations

There, we can discuss media articles about Bitcoin, identify where the biggest dangers and misconceptions lie, deconstruct these misconceptions and come up with some snappy rebuttals.

For example, I thought in Jeff's CBS interview the line "bitcoins are slightly less anonymous than cash" worked well.

And we need to smash this association between Bitcoin and Silk Road at birth, or we'll never shake it. Something like "Bitcoins has no more to do with Silk Road than Ben Bernanke has to do with your local street dealer". Whatever.

A barrage is coming our way, and we need to be ahead of the game.

bruce, this IS accurate, please try to fact check a bit...

here is the history of my bitcoin roadtrip donation address: http://blockexplorer.com/address/1Dj1SocbbH9Lbb9aTdqSHB9AAjhdxNNZha

you can click on any of the transactions to see where they came from and where they went. true, they are bitcoin addresses, not names. but, just because no one has made a blockchain miner to dig out juicy info doesn't mean it's not there.

The way he phrased it is INACCURATE.   Change one word.... and the whole sentence is untrue.

"....users can see the entire history of the coin's use, including every user that bought or sold it...."  IS ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE on several levels.


AMEN!


And AMEN!

Bruce,

You came off as a bit fanatical in your last email to him and not as factual as you could/should be.  I think your corrections got buried in a load of pro-bitcoin propaganda.

What do you think people who bought bitcoins at $31 think about the current price?  Would they consider it a crash? 

What about from $8-->4? 

Crash is a tricky word, but you certainly can't insist it only goes up up up when it's currently trading at <50% of it's high from a little over a week ago.  It is a *highly* volatile market and you can only say factually that it has gone from $.005 to it's current price of ~$14 for a 200k%+ increase.  That is 100% accurate and incredibly compelling.

Hope he corrects some of the more erroneous points in his article but I doubt he cares at this point since his version is a bit more sensationalized...

It's not 100% accurate, because you're leaving out the fact that on its way to the current price it achieved a high just over DOUBLE the current price.  I don't think you can just ignore the fact that a week ago people thought their 100 btc were worth $3000 in their pocket, and today that could only be $1500 in their pocket.

I think the most unfounded and agenda driven part of that article is actually the title and the conclusion.

(First impressions & last impressions are strongest. The stuff in the middle that was actually discussed, people won't remember.)

"The clock is ticking on Bitcoin
With recent exposure bringing the online currency to the attention of wary lawmakers, expect to see Bitcoins disappear."

ending with..

"..expect Uncle Sam to keep the average American consumer from ever getting to make that choice."

None of this is substantiated or discussed properly. It's just assumed. Agenda driven!

This is how they do it. They just state things. And people suck it up in their millions.

I find reading anything in the media about BTC a very frustrating experience. Most media in general irritates the hell out of me!!

There is absolutely no reference on TradeHill's site currently to this functionality. They may have allowed this at some point but they say nothing about it now, and even if it worked the way you described Amazon would still be collecting USD not BTC for your purchase which makes the authors statement completely factual.

It is 100% accurate, it just leaves out information about what is possibly considered a major spike & correction

The same bit of information must be left out if you say it's going "up up up".

Bitcoins are going UP UP UP! Except when they're not, like right now.

Hey Bruce, would it kill you to lay off on the CAPs usage? Tbh you come off as kinda mentally retarded.. Especially replying to a reporter.

This. There is no way you'll be taken seriously if you give those kind of nitpicking rants as replies. Most of the "terribly misleading" statements are probably just worded that way to make sure they use terms their readers have some grasp with. They are not 100% accurate, but if you think this wasn't good enough you shouldn't bother giving interviews at all. Also, to claim that nobody uses bitcoins to buy drugs on Silk Road is just silly. I don't know anyone who uses Bitcoins to buy anything at all, does that mean it never happens?

pretty much, yes  :D

It would be fun to see if certain media outlets received marching orders from their bosses or if internal emails are available to shed light on a consistent theme among the latest spat of fluff reporting. Are they seeing Bitcoin as such an insignificant item or is this concerted with no attempt to backup inconsistent facts that these articles are relaying? Let's look back on previous articles by all the reporting for continuity and factual basis on previous subject matter. Only about 108 articles this past week... anybody got a lifetime to lend? HAHAHA.
Bahbra is gonna be rich someday.
- reposted from notable sources

I think as long as reporters find these types of "mouthpieces" for bitcoin, you're going to continue to see these types of articles.  This one honestly isn't too bad, as far as tech journalism goes.  Anyone that thinks otherwise simply has not dealt with the media before.   I do agree it *is* a wake up call as to how inaccurate things are reported if you're first becoming exposed to this.  Bitcoin is being treated no differently than any other tech in that regards, however.

Honestly, after seeing the e-mail sent to this reporter by who appears to be the primary contributor to the story, I'm very surprised this article was as fair as it was.  We deserved worse, given that input.  Garbage in, garbage out - most people here should realize that.

Bitcoin definitely needs at least a few people who can be counted on to give professional, rational, and accurate responses/interviews to the media.  Those who cannot really should take a step back and consider the damage they are doing to the perception of Bitcoin, regardless of how technically "correct" they are in their paranoid rants.  A well reasoned and properly toned e-mail/conversation/interview goes a hell of a lot further than some idiot on the internet flaming a reporter in all caps.  You can be correct, but still horribly wrong at the same time.

My advice?  If you're talking to the media, pretend you're talking on behalf of an employer.  Is what your saying accurate?  Is it professional?  Will saying this get you fired?  Can you disagree with someone in a more reasonable sounding manner regardless of how idiotic or wrong their statements are?  Take the high road.

Remember folks, a US Senator has a hell of a lot more immediate trust instilled on the media and general populace than some otherwise well reasoned and respected person on the Internet.  It's not even a competition when it's against a few whacko-sounding net kooks talking in a disjointed, disrespectful, and completely embarrassing manner.

Also remember, the media will *always* try to contact the net kooks for stories once they become known, since they provide good antics and quotes to write about.  Hey, it's probably some of the only fun a reporter gets to have these days :)

To those whom presented themselves professionally in this piece - for what it's worth you have my thanks!

Just my .02btc, coming from someone who could care less about the speculation angle and wants this project to be an overall long-term success.

and the "OMG"s ... pretty please ?

I find it odd that in just about any forum whenever you mention Bitcoin there is always a troll that will dedicate the day to trying to sway people from Bitcoin...for a while I thought it was other miners trying to keep the difficulty down...now I am starting to wonder...there is a media attack for sure and I do suspect someone is trying to cause a mass exodus.

It wouldn't take much invested to cause ripples...couple million.  How much annually does the banking industry stand to lose in fees?

bruce?

you are kind of a fanatic - and that's ok.

but let me give you a tip - because you're becoming a very high-profile, go-to guy as far as the media is concerned.

get contracts for interviews.  real contracts, with... like... lawyers.  and don't give any more interviews without final cut: that is, it doesn't print or air without your ok.  the slant of a piece on Bitcoin is irrelevant; but you need to keep a firm hold on context, exact quotes, and facts.

You can be dam sure there are all kinds embedded in these pages. All kinds with different agendas. Miners who want to keep the difficulty down. And certainly, certainly gov agents and agents (i use that term loosely, aka, actors), of banks, corps, etc, who are trying to sway opinion.

It took many, many years for the Fed member banks to convince people that fiat was valid currency and they are incorporating the digital world into their fraud. Bitcoin will be a clear and present danger to their world and it will be acted upon. I'm curious beyond words how this will play out as the gov's previous foray into the world of bittorrent was an utter failure. It backfired and they brought more interest into something they tried to shut down. So now what the fuk do they do?

If they're smart they will not combat it openly through litigation but rather subterfuge. They will paint such a negative picture in the media in an attempt to keep it grounded in hopes that it will only be used in small niches. Eventually there will be competing currencies and this will become more clear to the larger mass of ignorant gov stooges. You can be sure some know it is an unstoppable train at this point.

We need to be aware of their tactics. Catalog the methods they use (it WILL be primarily media based attacks) and somehow counter them. It'll be a grassroots ground war spreading the gospel like an apostle. Many will not have the fortitude for it. Unfortunate too. This is the beginning of something that is sending shockwaves through the world that will be felt for ages. Many can't see that.

Here is my example from a discussion I was in regarding the 5830's back in stock at Newegg...granted I shouldn't have kept kicking the troll but whatever.

http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=3028001

BTW...WTF is up with all the "I have popcorn ready" comments, I have seen them in multiple forums. (I guess they are in the "Popcorn gallery"? That is the only thing I can think.)

I agree...to quote a line from the movie "Strange Days", "...it's not whether you are paranoid...it's whether you are paranoid enough.."

That's interesting. The ignorance is truly amazing. How about the one guy who says it would take about 40 days to recover your cost in a condescending tone.

Anyone who's ever owned a business would LOVE to recover their costs that fast. Most have capital to carry them through the first two years of expected LOSS so they can then realize gains. But hey, what do you expect from a bunch of people buying video cards for gaming (nothing against that but they have no business knowledge [general assumption])?

I just don't take these guys seriously. I've been investing in silver for over three years now and when I was buying it at $8.90 I had an investment advisor tell me I was nuts. Well it went up to just shy of $50 and now holding steady. Now that I'm studying the economics and philosophy behind BTC I will run it as a speculative business investment. I will hold onto my BTC like they were oz's of silver or gold and pay the electric bill out of my day job.

IF BTC is burnt to ash so be it. I've lost more on crazier ideas. But what these dweebs don't understand is that BTC is an attempt to bring change to a world that so desperately needs it in a way that it can actually accomplish something. What are they doing? What change are they trying to bring about? None. They are watchers not doers. Eating popcorn and watching the doers do that which they don't understand like it was Netflix or something.

And for enduring all that is exactly why people who are involved in BTC deserve to be rewarded. Perhaps we are martyred and future generations benefit and the history books write of us. Many of the founding fathers of America did much of what they did not for their own gain as much as for ideals. A man must ask himeslf at the end of the day what he has contributed to his fellow man. Popcorn eaters can choke on those salty seeds!!

The hit pieces are getting bolder. I can smell the fear from here.

Bruce - re-reading my post, it looks like this was a personal attack on you, and I guess it somewhat was.  This was not my intent and I do apologize.  I actually enjoy reading your stuff and think you bring a ton (way more than I have, or am likely to!) of value to the community.

I just hate to see Bitcoin develop a PR problem because we as as a community can't do something as simple as having reasonable, respectful, and *truthful* conversations with detractors.   Trying to tell people not a single person has used a bitcoin for Silk Road purchases for example I believe is counter-productive to the cause - it's a completely made-up fact that is demonstrably false.

Otherwise, let the revolution continue!  It takes all types, and the community diversity is what will make this idea take hold and become strong! :)

-Phil

The same people cannot understand why someone would open source anything. "You just gave it away...Why?"  Sometimes things are bigger than money.  I am currently involved with RepRap's, Arduino, and Bitcoin...it is difficult to explain to anyone what kind of an impact things like this have...in the coming weeks when my RepRap site is online I am planning to accept Bitcoin.

Step 1) Buy RepRap with BTC
Step 2) Make RepRap build GPUs
Step 3) Take over world!

Just like my business plan
Step 1)Build RepRap
Step 2)Source parts for a bunch of RepRaps
Step 3)?????
Step 4)Profit? Emphasis on question mark.

Great, add more paranoia to the fanatic rants. That's exactly what Bitcoin needs to be taken seriously.

Everything can use more paranoia...it keeps us safe.

Even more with the latest security fails surrounding Bitcoin paranoia could only help the cause.

You being paranoid does not mean they are not after you. :D

The US government might go after it but will take years. The only reason they want to go after it is because of silk road. If silk road goes away I think bitcoin will stay off the radar for quite some time.

Also even if the us government goes after bitcoin, theres still 200+ countries out there who could care less about bitcoin.

Kinda my thoughts too...just look how long it took for them to get around to the poker stars sites...and that was stated as illegal the entire time under US law (right? this was my understanding) I am not a lawyer but I cannot see how Bitcoin is breaking any laws...not like the liberty dollar which claimed to be a dollar, had trust in god and made implications that it was backed by the US govt.

OMG OMG OMG THAT IS SO 10000% INACCURATE!!! Corn seeds are not salty!! ;D

I imagined Bruce running around with his hair on fire while typing :D

Moderation is necessary, you can't contradict media hype and inaccuracy with your own, they'll see right through it anyway. You can't bullshit a bullshitter.

Playing on people's greed with the price angle is a terrible way to promote Bitcoin because you are pulling in the wrong people before the market is ready. Even if you are only interested in driving the price up to whatever level you have set for yourself, the market is simply not liquid enough yet for the sharks and amateurs who will walk away quickly giving it a bad name. We need users without profit motives and businesses who can rely on them, without the daily dose of fear regarding the worth of their business.

"A Lie can travel around the world before the Truth can get its shoe laces tied" - Mark Twain.

This will take patience.

This is ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

This reporter told me --- BEFORE THE INTERVIEW --- that, yes, he'd be interested in any factual corrections to the article ... but suggested that most criticism will be coming from people due to his take/angle.   

In other words....

When he was assigned this story, there were two Givens:

(1)    The Topic

(2)    The Conclusion (i. e. They call it his "Take/Angle")

And this is before any research...

When he still didn't know a Bitcoin from a toaster oven.

The Boys who Own the Media...... own the media.

The spin machine is working over time.

On the other hand, when bitcoin manages to weather this recent storm it will come out stronger, as a lot of the "ignore it so it will go away" people will have been proven wrong.

Interesting Advice.   Who to contact about this?  What type of attorney?  Referrals?

Also, please note that the email in the original post here was written in anger and in haste.  I apologize for the caps and the omg's....  

It was also written AFTER the article was published.

It was not the "input", as someone suggested.  

It was my response after reading the finished article already published.

This article was obviously a smear campaign to make Bitcoin look bad.

No, you are misleading. You try to pretend that grey and black markets aren't important part of Bitcoin economy. They are.
Even speculators holding Bitcoins don't like when Silk Road goes down.

1. It is Silk Road that brought so much mainstream media attention last month. Not selling images and jokes on the forum.
2. Show me an online market with real goods sold exclusively for Bitcoins with more transactions than on Silk Road. Well, you don't know how much has been sold on Silk Road because you never visited it. So you talk crap.

Also, your website is marketing hype and crap misleading people too, with stuff like "Bitcoin's Meteoric Rise in Value: 583,900% per Year" (SPECULATIVE HYPE TO MAKE PEOPLE BUY ALREADY OVERPRICED CURRENCY), "It's as free as email.  Bitcoin transactions are free." (BLANTANT LIE), "It's more secure than online banking" (LOL), "It's as anonymous as you want it to be." (THEN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND REPEAT: I WANT IT TO BE ANONYMOUS!!!) and tiny fine prints at the end of your website.

of course he is correct ... get your money out quick ... i need a hot buyin opportunity.... all publicity is good publicity...

when profiting from my trade tips please make a tiny donation...
1Li6QGLvkBgdK7TYU6NVgK3RMP3ZYDCcn3

I said:   Not a single person I KNOW has used Silk Road.

That seems a bit harsh to me, but it might be true. I think most news organizations will naturally develop an editorial narrative on issues, and journalists in this 24/7 newsloop culture with pressures to get stories quickly done will lazily follow this narrative. This is hardly a golden age of investigative journalism, after all.

It might be informative if people who are interviewed ask the journalist outright what's their 'take' on Bitcoin before the interview starts.

Bruce, you don't KNOW that either.  The best you can say is, 'Not a single person I KNOW told me they were using Silk Road.'

I heard about Bitcoin through the Sacramento Bee article about Silk Road. 

Anyway, no press is bad press when it comes to Bitcoins.

Yes.  Obviously.  I can't know who uses it without telling me...

But for the sake of brevity, the way I phrased it was:  No one I know has used Silk Road.

And I think the point is clear.

The fact that people use it, is irrelevant to the fact that no one I know has ever told me they've used Silk Road.

It's important to let people know that:

(1)    I have had contact with many many many Bitcoin users.

And

(2)   Not one of them has ever told me that they've bought anything on Silk Road.

Exactly one person has told me that he has been able to get the site to load.   But that he's not planning on using the site --- only taking a look at it.  He also told me that it was an unbelievable task to get through all the layers of security --- just to be able to read the web page.

Bruce, keep fighting the good fight. You're on the front line so you're going to take some heat. Many on this board want BTC to succeed but really can let their emotion overtake them (as you did :D ) and become accusatory before trying diplomacy. It's easier to attack and push and shove than to have an adult conversation.

That being said just take the advice (which I feel you are doing), refine your position and keep moving forward. Many on this board are very young and lack people and communication skills so they just want to fry you because it's easy. Well it's also a cheap shot. Others make really good points so just take it all with a little more than a grain of salt.

Thanks for your efforts.

Well said.

Bottom line, they are scared.  

"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
  --  Mahatma Gandhi

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It's still an irrelevant anecdote that reveals your agenda. The fact of the matter is that people do use bitcoin to buy drugs on Silk Road, and we have no idea exactly how much is being trafficked. It's an intellectually poor statement to make. You would do better to step down the emotional defense you seem to harbor on bitcoin. There are 1000 better ways to counter the SR assertions, #1 being to acknowledge that it occurs and that it is insanely risky because these users can potentially be traced. Also, there are orders of magnitude greaters drug transactions every day using USD, so the problem is not inherent to bitcoin.

This is inaccurate. You use Tor. You enter the address. You enter your login and password. It's not some double hopscotch know the secret code game. As for me I would rather have people actually using bitcoin to buy regulated substances than using it to speculate with. Half this forum wants bitcoin to be a get rich quick scheme rather than a viable means of exchange.

Writers, sometimes its hard to tell if It's Fiction or not.

A non regular computer hobbyist would find the steps you listed to be double hopscotch know the secret code game.

With a side dish of hyperbole: "It's blatantly misleading to imply that ANYONE uses Bitcoin for such things." - that's like a substance abuser in denial :) It's obvious that at least a few people have done this, otherwise the whole thing wouldn't exist. Unless it's something like an HBGary false flag operation of course, but I doubt it (even if it is, this kind of thing is bound to happen sooner or later). 0.0000000001% would equal around 0.01 dollarcent total BTW (@15 USD/BTC).


Actually, it makes it irrelevant what you think about the number of people having used it, since if you have talked to many many people, then either many many people is much smaller than a significant enough sample, or it isn't but noone is admitting to having used Silk Road. This boils down to defending your earlier position, instead of validating it.

BTW, a good defense against Silk Road arguments would be to highlight that the majority of cash has traces of cocaine on it. Although I'm not sure they aren't working on that as we speak with Quantitative Easing..

Count me in for that. I've done a lot of work in PR.

Hard currency, 95%. The Fed are enablers and should be ashamed.

I've gone ahead and setup some new tools to help with public relations.

1) A new sub-reddit devoted to the topic (http://www.reddit.com/r/BitcoinPR).

2) A #bitcoin-PR channel on freenode.

3) Requested the creation of a new forum here (http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=19521.0) that would be devoted to media monitoring and public and media relations for the Bitcoin project. Please support this idea if you feel this is needed.