At this moment the BTC/USD is $12.78 USD, and the USD/CNY is $0.1591, so that should value the BTC/CNY about 80.33.  The last BTC/CNY trade was at 77.07 (through BTCChina.com ).  Mt. Gox offers a BTC/CNY market and the last price there is actually higher thatn 80.33 but that happened more than 24 hours earlier and there have been no trades since.) 

So at this moment, it might be concluded that there are more sellers than buyers, or at least the sellers are more aggressive, willing to sell below market rate than exist buyers to absorb these coins at a discount.

But even so, it is just a 3% difference.    That isn't enough that someone would not want to receive bitcoins in China as payment, just that there are some market inefficiencies that might cause the market value of the coins in China to be slightly lower than the market value in other currencies.





There should be may local buyers, but there are reports that the great firewall of China doesn't allow access to the sites that encourage this:
 - https://localbitcoins.com/country/cn


But cashing out is the less complicated of the two trades.  So a person in China will likely soon be finding more and more methods to convert bitcoins to value, whether through AliPay payments like what BTCChina.com offers, or other methods like prepaid debit cards, and more.  It's coming.  In the meantime what exists today works -- but it is not the most efficient.

Well, it will vary.  Here, MPEx describes the restrictions on listing through them:

 - http://polimedia.us/trilema/2012/how-does-one-list-on-mpex

While it doesn't enforce that the issuer undergo audits, there is nothing stopping the issuer from voluntarily undergoing an audit and releasing the results, and perhaps even requesting an investment rating.

A discussion on this:

Why are bitcoins in december better than bitcoins today? (ICBIT)
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=110583.0


I thought the answer to that was due to the maximum price change specified for BUZ2;
"Maximum price change within one trading session: 10% in each direction relative to the close price of the last trading session"

But I am missing a piece of information to answer that.  I don't know if the maximum change in clearing price from one day to the next is 10%, or does that 10% just reflect the price as far as what is used simply for computing margin variance?

So, using your example,

OCT-05-2012 - TRADE: BUY 1 BTC at $12.83
OCT-05-2012 - TRADE: SELL 1 BUZ2 at $14
Then let's say that was the last trade of BUZ2 on that day and thus the clearing price would also be $14, and as a result there is no margin variance paid.

Then let's say on OCT-06-2012 a crash happens, the BTC/USD drops nearly $4 in a day, $12.83 to $9.

So the margin variance paid to you is based on a maximum of 10%, so from the $14 then the margin variance paid is $1.40.

OCT-06-2012 - BTC/USD $9, Last BUZ2 trade $10.  Margin variance +$1.40  (as prior clearing was $14, but max 10%)

But normally the clearing price uses the last trade, and let's say that last trade occurred at $10.00.  So does that become the "prior clearing price" used for calculating the margin variance on the next day?

So then let's say the BTC/USD exchange rate rises, $1 a day for the next five days, and the BUZ2 "last trade" rises exactly at the same $1 a day rate.

OCT-07-2012 - BTC/USD $10, Last BUZ2 trade $11.  Margin variance -$1 (as prior clearing was $10)
OCT-08-2012 - BTC/USD $11, Last BUZ2 trade $12.  Margin variance -$1 (as prior clearing was $11)
OCT-09-2012 - BTC/USD $12, Last BUZ2 trade $13.  Margin variance -$1 (as prior clearing was $12)
OCT-10--2012 - BTC/USD $13, Last BUZ2 trade $14.  Margin variance -$1 (as prior clearing was $13)
OCT-11--2012 - BTC/USD $14, Last BUZ2 trade $15.  Margin variance -$1 (as prior clearing was $14)

Then, for simplicity sake, let's say on OCT-12, BUZ2 trades exactly at the BTC/USD exchange rate.
OCT-12-2012 - BTC/USD $14, Last BUZ2 trade $14.  Margin variance +$1  (as prior clearing was $15)

And then nothing happens through December 15th ... the BTC/USD stays at $14, and BUZ2 has no more activity after October 12th.

DEC-15-2012 - TRADE: SELL 1 BTC at $14

Now let's review:

So you bought 1 BTC at $12.83 and sold it for $14, so you gained $1.17.

You sold 100 BUZ2 at $14, and got the following margin variance adjustments:
OCT-06-2012: +$1.40
OCT-07-2012: -$1
OCT-08-2012: -$1
OCT-09-2012: -$1
OCT-10-2012: -$1
OCT-11-2012: -$1
OCT-12-2012: +$1
Total: -$2.60

You lost more on the BUZ2 ($2.60 loss) than you earned from the gain on the BTC ($1.17 gain).   Your net loss on this set of transactions was $1.43.


Now, this is with my possibly flawed understanding of what happens with the clearing price when a change of more than 10% occurs.  If the clearing price for October 6th should actually have been the $12.60, and not the $10 from the last BUZ2 trade, then my whole analysis is wrong, and you are exactly right at selling BUZ2 at $14 and buying BTC at $12.83 incurs no risk.

Same for the Pass Line after the come-out roll, I can't add or change that bet but bitZino shows the stake box, with no further interaction though.

There's not always going to be a way to know.  The total Thash/s might rise a bit or a lot, or not at all if the attacker had already have been mining with 51% just spread to various pools.

There would probably be an alert sent out:
 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Alerts

But there are no specific further actions, as the correct response with depend on what actually occurred:
 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Contingency_plans#Many_historical_blocks_replaced

Play craps on my Android mobile from anywhere, for real money.

Out standing!


[Edit: Also see Craps Trainer (Preview) for Android on Google Play:
 - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.e7systems.craps ]

Sent.

Incidentally,

This is what happened to you if you offered to exchange your dollars for rial on Tuesday (you were met with a long line of customers):




This is what happened to you if you did the same thing on Wednesday:



 - http://twitter.com/mojtabamo/status/253751126472654848





And it is only the beginning for them:

Europe Weighs More Sanctions as Iran’s Currency Plummets
 - http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-03/europe-weighs-more-sanctions-as-iran-s-currency-plummets
 

Police in Iran clash with currency protesters
 - http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/10/2012103113527747494.html

They generally are not compatible.  The Bitcoin.org client is generally backwards compatible (a current release of the Bitcoin.org client can use an older version of the wallet.dat) but a Bitcoin.org wallet.dat can't be used by MultiBit, for instance.

If you want to transfer keys, you'll need to export and import.  

For exporting you might use the BitcoinTools and do dumpwallet

 For linux,  ./dbdump.py --wallet

 - https://github.com/gavinandresen/bitcointools

Import instructions will vary based on which client you are referring to.

At some point the wallet.dat in the Bitcoin.org clinet will be going away, replaced with some other type of file.

In a couple days it will be fine again, but BlockChain.info depleted funds and is waiting for the services's operator to return from vacation:

 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=113388.msg1242299#msg1242299
 - https://blockchain.info/wallet/deposit-pingit


You can also send cash (GBP) in the mail to Bitcoin Nordic (in Denmark):
 - http://www.BitcoinNordic.com


And, or course, there may be a chance for a local trade:
 - http://www.LocalBitcoins.com


Also, BitInstant now has a method:

Ok, you pulled the most recent blockchain data files.  You can't just replace your existing ones because that set doesn't have the third file, the blockchain index.

So what you can do is copy or move those two  (blk00001.dat and blk0002.dat) to a temp directory (e.g., C:\Temp ) and then do

 C:> bitcoin-qt -loadblock="C:\TEMP\BLK0001.DAT"

This is explained here:
 - http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/4148/153

And it should load the blocks.  If it doesn't then go ahead and wipe everything except your wallet.dat from your Bitcoin directory, then relaunch the client using the -loadblock from above.

I'm not sure if after it is done loading from blk0001.dat if it automatically loads blk0002.dat or if you need to stop and restart the client with -loadblock= to get the blk0002.dat loaded then as well.

umm ...



 - http://bhurtel.co.uk/fake-screenshot-without-using-photoshop/

The factors relevant to providing the right advice include:

 - Where are you located (country)?
 - How much are you looking to buy?
 - What payment methods do you have available?
 - How soon do you need access to the proceeds?
 - Is privacy important?


The fees aren't trivial but you can use a credit card to purchase by using VirWoX where you can buy SLL using your credit card, then trade SLL for BTC:
 - http://www.VirWoX.com

This probably does't help you if you are looking to spend the coins anytime soon, but you can buy physical Bitcoin, paid for with credit card (assuming they are back in stock before you want to buy):
 - http://memorydealers.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=bitcoin


If you are in the U.S., there is one vendor that apparently is offering to sell via credit card.  The coins aren't delivered for over a day but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose:
 - https://www.quickbitcoins.net


Quite simply, depositing cash at a bank or 7-11, Walmart, CVS is going to be the fastest and easiest way.

Options:
 - http://www.BitInstant.com (Deposit at major banks, 7-11, Walmart, CVS, Moneygram, etc.,)
 - http://www.BitMe.com (Deposit cash at Chase)
 - http://www.BitFloor.com (Deposit cash at Chase or Wells Fargo)
 - http://www.MrBitcoins.com (Deposit at a bank in U.S., India, Australia)
 - http://www.CAVirtEx.com (Deposit cash at several banks)
 - http://www.Spendbitcoins.com (Deposit cash at a bank in Australia)
 - http://BitcoinNordic.com (Purchase CashU or UKash in dozens of countries)
 - http://www.BTC-E.com (Deposit cash (USD) at bank locations in Russia)
 - http://www.BitNZ.om (Deposit cash (NZD) at back locations in New Zealand)
 - http://www.BitInstant.com (In Brazil using Boleto or Banco Recomendito, or in Russia, using Qiwi or Cyberplat.)


Also, Bitcoins Direct will accept cash, but they have a $500 minimum order size:
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=87094.0 (Deposit cash at Bank of America, Wells Fargo or PNC, minimum $500)

Or you might find a local trade (paying cash):
 - http://www.localbitcoins.com

Or if you are considering a bank transfer, there all kinds of options are available:
 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Buying_bitcoins

Ok, thanks.  There is another service that apparently was just an online store and routed any orders through FTD.  It appears to not be maintained though, as the price for three dozen roses is 89.95 BTC   

So having another provider is something welcomed and hopefully will be used and becomes successful!

No catalog?

I don't know every tier and every locale, but California rates are generally higher, especially when mining is additional consumption above your regular consumption and thus the cost is generally higher per kWh when you break it out by price tier.

Related:


Your Electricity Cost per Kwh (Which country is the Most Expensive)
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=97239.0


How much do you pay for power?
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=64232.0

As a bookend to this thread, further discussion here:

GPU MINERS: What is your Electricity Cost?
 - http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=115373.0

Sorry for the late post, hoping someone attends and considers what opportunities and challenges Bitcoin will encounter in this space.

October 4th, 2012
The Orrick Building
8:15 am - 10:15 am (Panel Discussion)

Panel Event: "The Mobile Payments War"
 - http://reaction.orrick.com/reaction/sites/totalaccess/19457.asp

I've no idea if these work well for Bitcoin but they do claim to be multi-currency.

Kashoo. Freemium, or $10/month. Haven't used it yet though.
 - http://www.kashoo.com


Also, what might work, Aqilla:
 - http://www.aqilla.com/multi-currency-ledger


And from that Reddit post, saw mentioned:

Infinity PFM (Personal Finance Manager) can read transactions from the Bitcoin.org client:
 - http://launchpad.net/infinitypfm

- http://twitter.com/stripe/status/253193235894247424

Which shows that argument 3 is bullshit:


 - https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/06/eff-and-bitcoin