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In an earlier thread (which I cannot find now), I explained my successful purchase of some $100 worth of Bitcoin from buy.bitcoin.com.  The process went fine.  I bought with my debit card (USA), with my laptop (and smart-phone for SMS verification).  I was happy that the total fees would be some 7.5% -- well under my city's BTC ATMs -- if a certain minimum was purchased.  The whole process, start-to-finish took some 50 minutes (confirmation time of receiving my BTC included), not bad!

But, last week I tried again to buy some $300 worth.  This time a no-go.  They wanted pictures of ID (which previously they did not).   That is not only a gross privacy invasion, but a real hassle for me.

I hereby REVOKE my earlier recommendation of using buy.bitcoin.com. 

Taking multiple pictures of ID is bothersome, and I will not do it.  Too bad, as the 7.5% was attractive, and my first experience relatively convenient.

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r0ach, interesting post!  Hah!

Actually, IMO, silver is unlikely to get back to its historical typical range of 10 - 20 times less than gold.  I think that, given time, gold will go MUCH higher (like your $20,000 number) while silver will be left, relatively speaking, in the dust.

Maybe I read too much FOFOA (ask iamnotback).  FOFOA posits a possible 500:1 GSR  !!

I too have a "fair" amount of BTC and more ($-value) of gold, much more.  My main problem with BTC is that it's a real pain in the ass to buy it in my city (ah, yeah).

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Check your messages... 

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Poopyhead2000

While I think there are a LOT of people open to BTC investment ideas, you must remember that ideas are a dime a dozen.  Essentially EVERY idea has been thought of before..., it is only a very few who are able to effectively act upon them and make a difference (or a lot of money).

"There is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes)

If you want other people's money, in whatever form, you must show enough information for potential investors to assess the opportunities and risks.

Sorry, but that's the way it is.  The people with the money rule.  YOU must submit to their scrutiny, else it is unlikely anyone will come aboard your ship with THEIR money.

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One of our alert members notified me of a pair of Armstrong pieces of interest.

This first one is about the likely PEAK of US bond (Treasury) prices:

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/markets-by-sector/bonds/us-30-year-bonds-the-party-is-over/

I would agree.  The party looks over.  Spending under Trump is likely to go up, and it will be financed more likely with DEBT than raw money printing, IMO.  Trump is OK w/ debt obviously....

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Armstrong does not like gold short-term:

https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/markets-by-sector/precious-metals/gold/gold-headed-lower-under-1000-into-the-abyss/

I personally love gold as an investment and security hedge (vs .gov mismanagement).  INDIA now has at least some door-to-door tax collectors confiscating gold from people's houses!

To be honest, I doubt that would happen here in the USA, but should it start, I think it would stop after 50 - 100 LEOs were shot by outraged gold owners.

India <> USA

But, gold could fall to under $1000.  To me: so what.  It may be losing its safe-haven status, but I doubt it.  It is rarely "different this time."  Gold goes under $1000, I'll buy more.

The Democrats will eventually be back in power with their Socialist ideas.  Gold owners (and BTC owners) will likely have some protection vs. them.  I hope.........

I do not know the very latest, Lionidas, but IIUC Switzerland already has rather high taxes and is pretty actively cooperating with American and European (esp. German & French) tax authorities to share information.  Tax Haven is now a little too benevolent and obsolete a term for Switzerland if my limited information is accurate.

I do understand that it is a decentralized country, and there may be various opportunities (like for Bitcoin) available there that would be of interest.  And that privacy is still considered important there.


Swiss members (and those knowledgeable of current Swiss laws re finance) are very welcome to comment!

I never had heard of those guys.  If their service was good (and private) I agree, there should be (have been) a good market for their services.  Even if they were (are) a bit expensive.

I don't really care if I have to pay BTC0.0001 or raise it a tiny bit to blockchain.info's suggested higher amount (for quicker estimated confirmation time) to BTC0.0002...  The transaction is what is important to me, I don't care about paying another US 6 cents...

Your comment is more-or-less the very old common sense "you get what you pay for".  We have seen that in the products (auto parts) we buy from Korea, Japan and China.  Big differences in price vs. quality.

I believe that Vancouver had the very first Bitcoin ATM, at a coffee house (I happened to visit there).  One wonderful thing about that machine (I do not know if it is true for the rest of Canada) is that it did not require ID nor a cell-phone text 2FA.  Put your money in, get BTC.  What a great concept!

Canadians!  Please advise if you need ID for BTC ATMs in your other cities.  If not, I will be up there again!  THAT alone would make Canada "Bitcoin Friendly".

 

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The US has grave problems with its debt, no doubt.  But, the other powers (China and Russia) have even more serious problems IMO if you look hard.

Besides, each of us can only do what we can do as individuals.  Ponder the below:

1) I would *guess* that people here on this forum are smarter and have more money than the "average American".

2) It is not really hard nor that expensive to get certain assets that will protect us in case things DO go to shit...

3) Here is a starter list:

- gold (for the wealthy) and/or silver (for the less so).  Silver might work better in trade after a SHTF.  Gold for your children...
- Bitcoin, the potential for HUGE speculative gains (and privacy) make this a great asset.
- A gun (or two) and at least 1000 rounds of ammo (each weapon), NOT counting how much you need to shoot before becoming proficient.
- Necessary (or tradable) medicine like Epipens, pain pills, antibiotics.  Add a first aid kit too.

An ounce or two or three of gold.  A Bitcoin or two or three.  A weapon, ammo and the knowledge of how to use it.  You are then ahead of 95% of Americans (at least those not on farms).

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Great topic, but I would like to hear more about mixers on the clearnet.

I have used bitmixer.io many times, and am very happy with their service.

Back in the past (say two years ago or so), I had used blockchain.info's version (like a coinjoin I believe), but apparently they no longer offer the service (I read one report that it got hacked somehow).

SOMEONE is going to be able to solve that problem.  Some company will find the key to offer BTC in a very quiet way, probably located outside the USA, yet be resistant to investigation.  And be able to get the trust of customers.  And then they will make a ton of money!

bitmixer.io has such trust, and they seem to be resistant to investigation...

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Or perhaps offering BTC by credit card via the Darknet?

Yeah, well check for your Bitpenny!  Trx No. is at ZH comment.

Bwa ha on them.   Unless of course BTC is the new NWO money...  Ruh Roh!  

/LOL ?

Best!

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Not this guy!

http://www.zerohedge.com/users/draybin-deffercon-iii

He is the new incarnation of the infamous "fonestar", who I actually liked because he was so unpopular there as he was the "World's Biggest Bitcoin Fan".

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TRUE that many at ZH are anti-BTC and pro-precious metals.  But there are people (most) at ZH who distrust "The One Bank" enough so that many are warming up to Bitcoin.

I like both BTC and gold.  Yeah, well, I am strange in that...

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Saxo Bank each year puts out their 10 Outrageous Predictions for the coming year.  One of them predicts BTC to $2100:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-07/saxo-banks-10-outrageous-predictions-2017-brexit-never-happens-bitcoin-surges-fed-fo

Funny comments underneath too...

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THANK YOU all above for your comments.  Renzi did not get his reforms (constitutional changes, so things will "stay the same", at least legally), yet the financial markets don't seem to care.

Agreed that Italians have a LOT to lose of there are "bail-ins", which is beginning to look likely.

Re Europe, we have seen this lately:

-- BREXIT
-- Hollande not running again in France (very unpopular Socialist)
-- Italy not changing their constitution

All three above are somewhat "Trump-like" events.  Only Austria went left (Green), but neither of the two candidates were from the tradiitional political parties.

Any investors should watch Europe closely.

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It looks like I will need further dialogue with you guys to come up with better and safer ideas on how to protect wealth.

Passive income would be nice too...   

I definitely agree with the thrust of iamnotback's ideas re a Knowledge Age, THAT may be the very best defense against tyranny in the end, as well as give some incentive to any and all of our children a way out as well.  Caring for childrens' (and grandchildren, some of my ancestors were long-term thinkers) futures is an old tradition in my family.

I still argue that the future is not know-able: so as far as I am concerned, being diversified, knowledgeable and attentive is best for me as not having any particularly valuable technological knowledge at 60 years old...

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I once made (long ago) a minor error w/ bitmixer, and after some back & forth, they made me good.  Their service and that action is why I signed up for their Campaign.

I learned a Very Important Lesson: follow instructions carefully, especially that Letter of Guarantee!

I too have noticed that it sometimes tales much longer than expected to get my BTC back, but no big deal.

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Well, apparently something has to be done, or at some point my BTC (just sitting around in various places, smile,,,) has to be done, oe else whatever...  It seems that the BTC system is awfully close to running at capacity (IIUC, which of course I may not), and any growth will slow us down further.

If the "Big Miners" got together and raised fees (say, to BTC0.0005, or 0.05%, whatever) would that help?  Obviously micropayments would suffer.  But, I want an efficient system and am willing to pay a tiny bit more for that.

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iamnotback, deisik, vokain

Yes, it looks like the whole turning BTC into something tangible (at least at scale) really is a problem, and hard to solve.

First, buying a ranch in Peru (which might be a special case), automatically puts you in the computers of the tax authorities, which, believe it or not, are much more controlling than the IRS in the USA.  Our (small) business, for example, must send monthly EVERY Invoice with various details including customer ID (like our Social Security No.) as well as each item bought, price, address, etc.  Rather burdensome.  All that is sent on MS Excel spreadsheets.  They are super-strict.

Second, I agree w/ iamnotback that Tax Havens will soon be out of business!  Ouch!

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I also have a sneaking suspicion that whatever NWO Digital Currency eventually gets adopted will contain "special features" (like code words for important politicians, bankers, etc.) that will allow them to hide their assets.   Who knows, but perhaps a Public Key / Private Key system (or whatever variation) may get built in to the new Rothschild World Note System...

Great, just great.  Our children or grandchildren will be Tax Donkeys...



EDIT: Greetings from frosty Prague (back Weds. to America).  SLUSH told me that security prevents a visit even to their offices, pity.

iamnotback: just STFU about how nice & warm The Philippines is now...  

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I want to see a clever crypto-currency that would be popular, easy to use and have better anonymity than BTC.  If it's my money, it's
my damn business.

Naturally I will want to see how your experiment in crypto works out.  Good luck!  When the time comes, drop that bomb.

The key problem seems to be to be how you quietly convert the crypto to real-world goods.

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I'll just keep getting gold as I get sufficient income.  Never sell it.  (Which of course means NEVER buying too much, possibly forcing a sale at a bad price of certain events break the wrong way)

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By the way, anyone have any comments on how ITALY will vote on its referendum and any fallout?  I am not sure that if wee will easily find out much in Prague tomorrow and Monday.

Cheers to all of you where the sun goes down at 4:00 PM nowadays...

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Soon our trip to Central Europe ends with nary a sight of any Bitcoin sign, logo, etc.  Perhaps that will be easier to find tomorrow in Prague ("Slushland").

Gold all over the place, even some platinum (Vienna).

With the price rise in BTC, maybe I could sell a chunk for some gold taking advantage to BTC up and Au down.  I've got time to decide...

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Millennials and Snowflakes sure seem to hard accepting Trump, LOL.  When Obama won, guys like me bitched for a day or so, no more, and no rioting.