They basically want to deny us access to the International Space Station by refusing to give our astronauts rides. We retired the Space Shuttle way too soon.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/06/07/russia-bans-us-from-international-space-station-ho.aspx

Do we not have enough humans on this planet? And I know a few people who would be willing/able to volunteer to conquer space. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/05/printing-humans-colonize-space_n_5439073.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

I haven't gotten much into back-end programming (PHP and that stuff) yet, but if you need purely HTML/CSS web design work and want to worry about the back-end later, PM me and we can work out the details.

Post the cutest pictures you can find. I'll start with this one:

...Only because I think we need some humor around here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCkerYMffMo

Reason I ask is because of cases like this: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/judge-orders-pregnant-texas-woman-off-life-support/story?id=21659951 It's basically, on one side, there was no chance that the woman was going to recover and all that would have happened was that the family would have had to pay an awful medical bill over the hospital's interpretation of Texas law. On the other, the hospital was claiming that the fetus deserved a chance to survive even though odds are that it would have had severe birth defects at best and would never have survived outside the mother's womb at worst. What do you think? Would there be a case where you might consider "pulling the plug" on a family member, or would you keep her on life support and pray for a miracle?

It's called MyBitcoinJob. Stumbled across them while looking for more ways to earn Bitcoin. Basically they pay you to refer people to their site. I'm not quite sure what they get out of it except maybe more members and more advertising revenue. Thoughts?

[this blog entry]

This is something of an experiment. I need ~35 people right now who can post this blog entry to both Facebook and Twitter. I'm offering .001 BTC to anyone who can do both and leave them up long enough for me to verify that you did. And I MUST be able to verify it (i.e. your Facebook and Twitter privacy settings must allow me to do so) or no dice. Some general guidelines include:

1) At least 50 Facebook friends and 50 Twitter followers who are real people. I'm assuming you at least know some people who use Bitcoin, right?
2) Leave it up at least long enough for me to verify that you posted to FB and Twitter. I know I might have already said that, but it's easy to claim that you did and it just got buried by your other posts when you didn't. And I WILL verify.
3) Come up with ~140 characters that have something to do with the blog entry. The length of a typical tweet and it has to make some kind of sense within the context of the blog topic.
4) Shoot me links to your Facebook page, your Twitter page, and also your BTC address. If I like you, I might even follow you.

And that's pretty much it. I'll check back here in a little while to see if I've had any takers.

My blog is here: http://ablogaboutnothinginparticular.com/ And of course you want some stats, so...

1) I typically get slightly more than 1500 unique visitors and 2500 pageviews a month.
2) Those numbers could go up if I can get some moolah to advertise.
3) This ad will be placed in its own above-the-fold widget on the left sidebar. I'll need a link to the 250X250 image (has to be exactly that size or it'll look weird) and a link to where you want it to go.
4) I reserve the right to reject bids if I find out that it's a link to porn or anything illegal in the U.S. And don't try to trick me; I WILL FIND OUT.

So that's basically it.

My idea is that, once a week -- say, every Friday -- we could all agree to share somebody's ecommerce site that takes cryptos other than Bitcoin and Litecoin on our social media. This could possibly help bootstrap some of our favorite cryptocurrencies. What do you think?

The wholesaler was real cool about adding me as a vendor, so these products are reasonably priced. I'm still in the process of adding items, so if there's something specific you're looking for in the home defense or self-defense department, PM me and I'll see if I can add it or sell directly to you. (I accept BTC among other Cryptos of course.) http://ablogaboutnothinginparticular.com/?product_cat=security-defense

[Shock Proof Exterior:]

This guy doesn't mess around. Here's the stats:

The Police Force 10,000,000 Metal Tactical Stun Baton Flashlight by Streetwise Security Products might just be the best tactical defense tool on the market today. This unit is powered by 2 removable, rechargeable lithium batteries and incorporates a military grade aluminum baton, ultra bright tactical flashlight and powerful stun baton so you will be prepared for any situation you may face. The problem with many multi-function devices is that they really don’t do any single function well. In sharp contrast, this model stands out in the crowded stun baton market by being exceptional in these three key areas:

    Shock Proof Exterior: The military grade aluminum alloy exterior allows it not only to be used as a self-defense tool for striking an assailant but it can withstand rugged use and extreme conditions often encountered by the military and law enforcement officers.
    Most Powerful Stun Baton: Streetwise Security Products has been providing top rated stun guns and batons for over 20 years and this is the strongest model we have produced! Combining the power of this 10 million stun baton with our Triple Stun Technology (TST), the loud and bright electrical burst illuminates the entire top of the stun baton and will quickly take down anyone unfortunate enough to come in contact with it.
    Blinding 3 Watt CREE LED with 5 Light Modes: This is the strongest light we have ever seen built in to a stun baton. It will not only safety illuminate the entire area at night but can also be used to protect you. When shinned in the eyes of an attacker, the ultra-bright 150* lumen light can have a temporary blinding effect making it easy for you to immobilize them with the stun gun or strike with the baton. (Note: 150 are the actual lumens. This light is extremely bright and some companies will exaggerate this number and claim a light this bright to be 300 lumens or more).

  Although this unit is designed to meet the rigorous demands of the Military, Police and other security professionals it is also a great choice for civilians who want a great flashlight and peace of mind from knowing that they can to protect themselves with a top of the line tactical defense tool should the need arise. Whether you leave this stun baton on your night stand or carry it with you in your car or in the included heavy duty holster, with all the great features this unit offers, protecting yourself is as easy as 1,2,3:

    Identify the threat: An attacker will use the cover of darkness to sneak up on their victims and to hide their identity. He'll also look for the most vulnerable victim. This powerful light beam shined in the direction of a possible attacker is often enough to persuade him to go in search of an easier target.
    Disorient the Attacker: Shining the ultra-bright light directly into someone's eyes will cause several seconds of disorientation and impaired vision. The Police Force 10,000,000 Metal Tactical Stun Baton Flashlight boasts a super bright light beam with Self Defense Strobe that can disorient your attacker and give you time to flee.
    Strike or Stun! If these first two are not enough to deter your attacker blow from the metal baton or a shock from the powerful stun gun certainly will.

Features

    Police Strength Protection: Engineered to meet the demands of Police, Military, and Security Professionals worldwide but also available to civilians.
    Triple Stun Technology: Most stun guns on the market today have only one or two points of contact. When using this model to defend yourself, the Triple Stun Technology (TST) allows an electrical charge to emanate between three separate points on the top of the stun baton (two sides and the middle). This creates a larger stun radius, allowing you to easily defend yourself. Even when test fired the loud, bight electrical burst is often enough to stop an attacker, and if not, a jolt from this unit certainly will!
    Tactical Striking Edge:  Increases effectiveness as a self-defense tool and as an emergency glass breaker.
    Military Grade Aluminum Alloy: The shock proof exterior not only protects the unit from damage but can also be used to strike your assailant.
    Blinding 3 Watt Cree LED Light: Not only will the flashlight safely illuminate the entire area at night, but it can also help to protect you. When shined in the eyes of an attacker, the ultra-bright light can have a temporary blinding effect making it easy for you to immobilize them with the stun gun or strike with the baton.
    Long Life Bulb: The LED Bulb will last up to 100,000 hours
    5 light modes:  There are three light strengths (maximum, medium, and low) and two light patterns. When the situation does not require maximum light strength the other two settings can be used to extend battery life. The strobe light mode can momentarily blind an attacker and the SOS rescue light pattern can signal for help in an emergency.
    Long Reach:  At 13.5 inches long this tactical baton is long enough to keep you a safe distance away from your attacker but short enough to easily carry with you in the included holster.
    Car and Wall Chargers: Whether at home or on the go recharging the batteries is simple.
    Removable Rechargeable Batteries: A set of rechargeable batteries is included; however, if you don’t have time to recharge the battery, you can purchase additional batteries to carry with you so you will never be without power.
    Economically & Environmentally Friendly: The stun gun and flashlight are fully rechargeable and the light bulb has a life of up to 100,000 hours.
    Safety Features: To prevent accidental discharge, two levels of safety have been built in.
    Holster and Wrist Strap Included: To make it easier to carry, both a heavy-duty holster with belt loop and a wrist strap are included.
    Lifetime Warranty: Manufactured using the highest quality components by Streetwise Security Products the leading stun gun manufacturer and backed by their lifetime warranty. The Police Force 10,000,000 is made of the highest quality components and comes with a lifetime warranty. See the enclosed instructions for complete details. (note: the batteries are not included in the lifetime warranty)

Includes

    Streetwise Police Force 10,000,000 Tactical Stun Baton Flashlight
    Holster and Wrist Strap
    Instructions
    Wall and Car Charger
    Dual Port Charger
    Two 3.7 Volt Li-ion 4000mA Rechargeable Batteries


These are brand-new. Because my wholesaler cut me a pretty good deal for them, they retail for $90 but I'll take $65 apiece in BTC for them.

I'm not pushing the vegetarian agenda, but surely there are more efficient ways to produce meat than big, smelly megafarms that treat animals like disposable widgets. Like this one. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140521-synthetic-cultured-lab-meat-pig-backyard-food-science

Okay, so I have a blog. I'd like to be able to allow comments on all of my posts, but I've turned that feature off for new posts because spammers for Nike shoes and swimsuits seem intent on hitting my comments boxes. I moderate comments so it takes me maybe ten seconds to delete them without them EVER being seen by people who are legitimately interested in visiting my blog, but they still keep coming back. Does anybody here know what kind of authority in the U.S. I can report these spammers to?

Got this from some dude on Twitter (and I'm including his name and handle only so you know who he is:

Esperanza Granahan ‏@Ryanncdomk May 18

@Squidoogeek USA Government trying to shutdown Bitcoin network read more here: http://bit.ly/1mFUo9I

If you get this, DO NOT click on the link because it'll ask you to download some kind of RAR file that seems to have something to do with Flash. But another Twitter user warned me that he might be "phishing."

Just what it says. There's talk that there could be opportunities to build a brand-new society on another world in the near future (I won't go into details here but it looks like it could happen). What would you do if you were basically dumped on another planet with a few of your buddies and told to survive, and you decide that it's a prime opportunity to build a new society?

"Q words without the U" Mousepad. $17 apiece, includes shipping, I take Bitcoin and Litecoin. PM me for details.

I need somebody who can get me ~100 people who can sign up for my Thunderclap using Facebook, Twitter or both by May 24. Thunderclap is here: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/11529-ramp-up-my-blogstore?locale=en and, while I'd like to get some more real people on this, what matters to me right now is just reaching that 100 Twitter/Facebook account mark. (It's already got support from Mintcoin and Maxcoin. I would have very much liked to get attention from Bitcoin and Litecoin but can't have everything, I guess.)

This is an AquaSWISS SWISSport G Brand watch I bought from a local pawnshop that was going out of business so of course I got it cheap. (Really he was more interested in getting rid of inventory than in making money by that point.) It's used, but it still has the warranty card in the gift box and it's got no dings or scrapes that you would expect from a watch that has been worn a lot so it's probably not all that old and might just need a new battery. My research indicates that a new watch of this type has an MSRP of $1200 and also has these stats:

Model #:           62G0122
Make:           Swiss Made
Case Material:   Stainless Steel
Case Measurements:   44 MM
Movement:            Swiss Movement
Features:           10 ATM Water Resistant, 2 Year Warranty
Clasp:           Buckle
Band Material:   Rubber
Band Color:          Blue
Band Size:   Min:  6.75 inches/Max:8.50 inches
Bezel:          Rotating
Case Color:     Black
Crown:         Screw-Down
Series:         SWISSport G

 If you want it, PM me with the amount of BTC you're willing to pay for it.

So I started a Thunderclap to help get the word out about my blogstore, which accepts several cryptocurrencies. The cryptos I feature (for the sake of 140 characters) include Bitcoin, Litecoin, Digitalcoin, Dogecoin, Mintcoin, and Maxcoin, all of which my blogstore accepts. Please join if you've been wanting to see a pile of these cryptos go up in value. https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/11529-ramp-up-my-blogstore?locale=en