...

I rarely like changes to websites (at least at first), and I preferred the older blockchain.info design.  More information there! 
But once I get used to it I probably will like it...   

I am dismayed that they got rid two of their services: the Taint Analysis tool and the SharedCoin mixing service (although I did read that the latter had been compromised).  It may be that blockchain.info wants less parasitical use of their website...

Yes, the more the merrier.  And, as was also pointed out above, Japan, S Korea and Oz are all democracies and respected players in the world economy who play by the rules.

Bitcoin needs more exchanges, buyers & sellers and (especially) merchants who will accept it.

...

Armstrong writes that it is a mistake to store gold (and CA$H) in a bank safety deposit box:

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/markets-by-sector/precious-metals/gold/is-it-safe-to-store-gold-in-a-safe-deposit-box/

* * *

He states his views here on the relatively LOW value of college degrees:

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/education/ernst-young-no-longer-requires-degrees-no-evidence-a-degree-success/

OK, some of that I buy, but why would any business needing competent accountants hire E+Y guys with no proven abilities?  The rest of his piece is good though.

Actually, my limited understanding of iamnotback's Knowledge Age would seem to fit Armstrong's views here.

...

Sure, I would think that there are some very wealthy people who would have a stake in Bitcoin.

Remember that many of the very rich want to own a variety of investments, it's diversification.  At least some of these EXTREMELY WEALTHY people will own at least some.

Think!  Surely there would be a few in Silicon Valley and smart computer guys on Wall Street who would want own, say, $1,000,000 in Bitcoin.  Why not?  I would own $1,000,000 worth if I had a net worth of $100,000,000, what other investments out there have the possibility of growing MUCH faster than the stock market (etc.)?

...

I've watched BITSANE and I wish you guys well.  We always need more ways to easily buy BTC at a reasonable price (I have to pay 7.5% for my online source, or 13.5% at a BTC ATM).

1)  Do you accept American customers?

2)  How about customers in PERU?

3)  Can we fund accounts with credit or debit cards?

...

I just read an interesting article on diamonds in The Economist, the financial magazine form the UK.

It seems that a number of analysts are BEARISH on diamonds, both in price as well as the business itself.  There is a huge diamond in northern Canada (very remote) that is just cranking up production, it will be one of the very largest in the world.  Russia already produces more diamonds than traditional leader South Africa.

And synthetic diamonds each year get a little cheaper and little higher quality.

I agree: stick with Bitcoin.  If you like valuable hard assets, go with gold instead.

Ah, no.  $1250 per 1 toz (toz = troy oz) of gold works out to some $40 / gram (approx. 31 gm / toz).  Three grams would be worth approx. $120, NOT $1250.

European Central Bank just put out some pretty good figures.  (By interesting coincidence there is roughly is 1 toz for every person on the planet.)

So, let's do a little more math.  I saw at blockchain.info today that the total market cap of all the BTC out there is roughly $18.55 billion.

The total market cap for all physical gold held worldwide is about $8.75 TRILLION.

Look at that again:

Gold:  $8.75 trillion

vs.

BTC:   $18.55 billion


A big, big difference.  And not just by an order of magnitude...  All the gold is worth more than 400 x times the BTC.

High Bitcoin fees are a big problem.  The Bitcoin Promise was for reasonably fast, reasonably anonymous (yes I know, not anonymous, but somewhat so) electronic money.

High fees and long confirmation times are serious issues that dismay many, and I do not think that they are taken seriously enough by those who matter (mining pools and lead developers).  High fees and long confirmations just add to the misery that newbies would have trying to learn the system (I was a newbie who *pretty much* had to learn it on my own), this will likely stifle BTC growth if some of these three problems (high cost, slow network, too complex for the masses) are not resolved.

...

They are not a scam.  I have used them many times, and the ONE problem (years ago) I had was resolved just fine after some give & take.

bitmixers.io (bitmixers.com) <> bitmixer.io

When using services like this (or anything really) involving large amounts of money, it is important to follow directions carefully and be VERY attentive to details, especially to whom you are sending BTC.

...

Roommate Agreement wrote:

"and to your main question, it means nothing to banks what bitcoin is worth. if people start using it instead of investing in it that is when they start to worry."


That would be my take as well.  The banks will not likely worry about BTC until if/when it becomes a popular (for the masses) payment system.

I don't think that gold will be much influenced should Bitcoin price go higher than Au (I would guess that BTC will be higher before, but that's a guess).

I have no info on that, but it looks like a great development if true.  A major world economic player like Japan fully legalizing BTC is a wonderful step.

But, as always, the devil may be in the details...

We'll keep an eye open on the matter.

...

Well, easy come, easy go.  

Both ounce.me and preev.com now show BTC price has backed off to around $1148.  Not to take anything away from BTC's nice run, but it fell from +/-$1215 down to $1148 in just, what, two hours.

I'll see what happens tomorrow when I get up!

...

My turn to grab the wheel again.   


Armstrong has two pieces on why Europe is in deep doo-doo.  First, it looks like Marine Le Pen is indeed in first place there in France (there will surely be a run-off election after the first round).  I have read that the MSM is going to be wrong again, that she will wind up as France's next leader.  Also see great (?) photo of refugee in Italy washing himself at a public fountain (same Armstrong post):

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/politics/le-pen-soars-in-french-polls-to-top/


Armstrong shows his free trade cred in this piece about Portugal and Europe, a nice & dense little piece:

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/sovereign-debt-crisis/eu-bailout-of-portugal-has-failed/

...

ounce.me just showed a price of $1207, but they often have a price a little bit higher than preev.com and others.  I check ounce.me several times a day (they show gold, silver, platinum and palladium prices too, also crude and US$).

OK, just checked preev.com, they show over $1200 too.

Yay.  "Should have bought more"  

...

Someone else may beat me to broadcasting this news, but ounce.me just showed BTC at $1207 !!

It may be that ounce.me shows a slightly higher price than preev.com and others, but I use ounce.me as they also show gold and other precious metals prices.

OmegaSS and others following this thread

I would welcome any reviews anyone might have re this service, or links to sources that would have reviews.

Open Source mixing sounds like a great idea.  I'd be interested in a similar comment re the OPEN SOURCE CODE, if it indeed is solid (I don't program, "it's all Greek to me").

...

SE USA.  Both the the stock market and local economy (and for the most part all of the USA) are booming.

The DOW (our most visible stock index) is up 10 days in a row (and has hit record highs on most/all of them), that is fairly rare.

But, when the "good times" are THAT good, a reversal is typically around the corner.

Beware.  Hedge your bets.  If you have big gains (esp. in stocks), consider selling some.  NO ONE ever went bankrupt taking profits.

Please keep us informed!  There are probably a number of folks here who might like to take a stake in such a venture.

But, typical "Venture Capital Rules" would likely be necessary to successfully recruit capital.  LOTS of proof of building, electricity costs, a proper Business Plan, copies of orders of mining equipment, CVs of key people, etc.

Done right, you might get a LOT of support.

As others above mentioned, best of luck on your venture, and keep us informed.

...

I use hardware wallets (Trezor and Ledger Nano), MultiBit (current v. 0.4.1), blockchain.info web wallet and CoPay.  I use them all but some more than others.

blockchain's is convenient, and I have not had any problem in a long time (I did some 2 -3 years ago, but they resolved it OK).  It's too bad that blockchain.info no longer offers their mixing service.  I have an earlier version of their wallet that allows imports of keys, important for me.

Re hardware, I guess I slightly prefer my Trezor vs. the Ledger, but both a re good.

I am still experimenting with CoPay and MultiBit.

Well, no.  

"It's not the rules, it's a feature."   <== What many of us say, sort of, about Microsoft products.

LOL re the image, sometimes I just want to heft the ol' 12 gauge and blast away.  Although I would prefer a .50 cal...