The charts show a remarkable symmetry, yes. That is what I used to project out to this month and price level.

Shine an IR laser modulated to carry a TOR exit node to a towerblock from Hong Kong to Shenzen and beyond? There's got to be clever ways to circumvent the "Great Firewall" besides VPN. Although a laser would be subject to signal degradation based on distance and weather conditions, it would be pretty hard to detect right off.

Combine the design with easily printed 3D parts via current technology, and you'd really have something there. Of course, it would require the associated machining to get the whole thing assembled, but if you ever broke anything you could replace it readily without relying on anyone. The plans could also be easily distributed.

Just curious, as this applies to the larger pools - do you have failover strategies in place to deal with DDoS attacks? As GigaHash capacity pools consolidate hashing power, you inevitably become a bigger target.

I don't have anything against your enterprise, just seems like a concern you'll have to deal with eventually.

We're about halfway through August and haven't slumped below $5.00, which bodes well for the "Bitcoin isn't a bubble" analysis I posted a while ago.

Just a few more weeks to see...

If anyone could make the below a reality, that would be nice. Still rife with design problems though when you get to the 'edges' where money has to change hands.

The only two reasons I'll care (if ever):

1) IxCoin can be traded for Bitcoin and vice-versa
2) Major hack attempt against the exchange trading them or the end-users

He's got the freedom to do as he sees fit, but true value is seen by the participants. If the above isn't true, then people don't value them much at this point.

Yep, currently at $1,793 on August 10th. Bet we see $2,000 before year end.

Anyone who thinks one person is responsible for any of the moves (other than the much-publicized goxian-crash) in the current market - is simply mental.

Calling "market manipulation" is like seeing water in the desert. It isn't there man, just lots of trades bunched in the order book. The only true massive sell event would be the goxian-crash. I doubt we have anything like that for the upside.

The people who believe one speculator is responsible for the ups and downs doesn't understand the cumulative effect of the bid-ask spread, or how markets work in general.

I'm still happy to take their money, though

Interesting. Would be fascinating if you could trace the 'lineage' of the first bitcoins from the genesis block to someone holding them today. Well, I shouldn't say 'if' - that is what the blockchain is for. I don't think I'll be tackling that task, however.

The collectible aspect is a cool idea.

I wouldn't mind gradual erosion. It only makes the case for bitcoin stronger, the flaws in government policy set in sharp relief. Harder to say bitcoin isn't 'real' when your own currency can't even cut it.

At the same time, I don't want massive economic upheaval to result in social chaos. So, perhaps a gradual 'enlightenment'.

Awesome. BTCycle.

Somehow I see it being a chopper, but honestly any format would work. Just depends on the customizing bits. Dual fans on the engine heatsinks mocked up to look like 6990s? Hah.

Yes, but this generation is finite. The upper bound is 21 million. We've 'minted' 1/3 of that so far, only 14 million bitcoins left. The knock-on effect will become more apparent after the block reward is halved, according to the algorithm that controls it.

The euro is the next to implode.

The fat pig Italy is going to roll over, crush Spain and mortally wound Germany, who is already panting like a fat businessman running a marathon after backstopping Greece.

The euro is next

Just wait until the euro implodes.

Gizmodo is the internet equivalent of a hyperactive kid, bouncing around and pulling your leg to get your attention. They didn't 'get' bitcoin when it first came out, didn't bother to really learn anything, so naturally the evolution from their "discovery" of the system leads to internet-taunting, then proclamations of it being 'dead'.

They regurgitate every tech story, gadget, application and video-of-the-moment in some kind of fitful montage that would make any rational adult question their sanity. They're the firehose stream-of-consciousness-aggregator that tries way too hard to be 'edgy', all the while plastering their horrible site design with tacky advertising promotions.

Come to think of it, Gizmodo is the internet whore on the corner, wearing ill-fitting and garish clothes that advertise the latest Apple product on its cottage-cheese ass.

Don't sweat it, my model looks like a sheet hung out in a hurricane. You're doing better than that, by a long shot. I'm interested as well to see if we maintain a 10 dollar support level in the next 24 hours.

While I agree it would be nice to have everything priced in bitcoin, the reality is the system has to slowly permeate the existing infrastructure. I prefer the gradual growth scenario for a number of reasons.

1) It prevents the existing financial system from taking too much interest in things until it is way too late.

2) Allows the network hashing power to multiply to even higher amounts than where it is now.

3) Every block that is mined reduces the available supply, which in turn provides higher value. (For bitcoin itself, not compared to fiat currencies.)

Network effects will eventually show up in the mainstream, with articles and other primers popping up voluntarily. Hopefully by that time the client will have iterated to a more user-friendly and informative interface design.