...

I have a decent amount of experience with two:

bitmixer.io

and blockchain.info's "SharedCoin" service (I believe you must have a wallet with them to use it).

Both work fine, no complaints.

"Rumor has it" that bitmixer.io's algorithm hides the trail better, you would have to ask others here for a more solid comment.  Or you just use BOTH services in sequence.

bitmixer.io allows a fee of some 0.6% to 0.9% to give you the option of making the transaction harder to follow, they also allow time delays and sending some to each of different addresses.

Sharedcoin charges on the order of 0.5%.

Using BOTH (in sequence) will cost roughly 1.2% if you want the coins really well hidden.

Follow instructions!

*   *   *

I have no experience with the .onion (TOR) mixers, but I have read many complaints.  Beware.  Apparently there are many scams.

Disclosure: I carry bitmixer's signature campaign below because they have always done me right, I am not otherwise affiliated with them in any way.

...

I live in the USA.  Few people I deal with have even heard of it (before I brought the topic up).  It has been harder than I would have thought to meet people to buy BTC from (in person).

I do not run with an "IT Crowd" though.

No one in my family knows or cares.

*   *   *

I was just in Peru for a while.  VERY different than Argentina (where BTC appears to be taking off nicely).

None of my in-laws know or care about BTC.

NONE of the four IT guys (kind of chosen at random in stores, etc). even knew about it.

As far as I know, no one in Peru accepts BTC as payment.

...

mikelitoris

One of my "internet friends" left Oz for..., brace yourself: Paraguay.  So far so good I hear.

I had heard rumblings of such things in Australia a year or two before.  Oz may be "leading the way" to see what works, so they can impose it then upon America.  Not strange at all that the populace was disarmed FIRST, then the velvet fist comes down.  Best of luck.



TPTB and CoinCube

You each have a (the same) PM.

...

Shindo1988

Yes, I am an American living in the USA.

You are correct that a chunk of money can go a long way in a developing country.  Our family's attorney has suggested that we could indeed "get more bang for the buck" by doing something like adding a small wing to a rural hospital in places like Peru (many others too).  Although Peru is not as much of a bargain as it used to be.

Giving money away to a worthy cause turns out to be difficult.  It is hard to know that your money does any good.  Or gets stolen or misused.

Also, beware the charity.  Ah, The Gates Foundation may be objectionable to many...  They say many good things, but are alleged to have "another agenda", but since I do not KNOW that, I just use that as an example of doing due diligence before making a big contribution (like in your Last Will or something).

...

minor-transgression

What a great case of Economic Totalitarianism.  Highly recommended reading for anyone who has to deal with PayPal.

Fortunately our company uses old-fashioned methods like "wire transfers" to pay our suppliers and things like "cash" and "checks" from our (Peruvian) customers.

If our company (and our accountant re advising us how to deal with Peru's .gov) and our suppliers and customers can get to BTC, well great!  Unless PayPal tries to say it is theirs.

Yeah, PayPal, Molon Labe our sales data...

*   *   *

Old cars may make a comeback...  Or not (Cash-for-Clunkers), hmm, maybe yet another conspiracy...?

...

Shindo1988

I cannot disagree with you there.  I am well aware of the Seven Deadly Sins.  Not very long ago I had to face them, one-by-one.

Truth be known, I have no need for MOAR.  I just like getting interesting views.  I also like sniffing out people's logic in getting to $1000 or even $5000.  Hey, I have no idea.

$5000 @ would be nice though.  

*   *   *

That would be enough to consider giving very careful thought to properly giving something away.  Charitable giving is a big & complicated subject.  Many gifts wind up causing more damage than good.

-- Building a small wing of a hospital in rural Peru?

-- Funding Geology Scholarships at Peruvian universities?

(I use the above two examples form Peru because A LOT more can be done down there than up here)

...

TPTB

NOTHING (inc. our business) is safe in Peru.

Our US condo is not safe.  US Real Estate is not safe.  US cash is not safe.

Gold is not "safe", at least to you.  Platinum?  Please laugh away.

Out of debt looks good to me.

Bitcoin is not safe.

*   *   *

So what?

I don't need to take risks much just to get MOAR, my main need now is preservation and preparing for our daughter's (with luck soon to come) family.  I have had plenty, more than enough,  given to me from above.

I am blessed beyond many's comprehension.

I am learning to live in eternity.  I have no need to rush.  I hold no resentments that I can think of.  I condemn no one.

...

OK the general gist I read in the $1000 thread was that many (but there was big diversity of actions many would take) would cash-out most of their BTC were it to read $1000.  Maybe re-buy on bounces, etc.

$1000 seems a modest long-term price to me.  I'm not a seller at a measly $1000.

So, what will you do (if you have any left after selling at $1000, $2000, etc.) with any that get to $5000?









I'll sell some along the way to buy gold, most I will HODL!

...

Not that big a deal now, but NASDAQ wants to see if blockchain technology can replace older methods.  Note that the whole article ONLY appears if you have a subscription to the WSJ, but the link gives the basics (handling buying & selling of shares in very samll companies there).  Hey, any advance is an advance...:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bitcoin-technology-gets-nasdaq-test-2015-05-11

...

TPTB

PM me anytime you want with non-proprietary info.  Be very clear what is confidential.  Keep it simple.  For example, I do not have a clear understanding of what Monero is (yes, yes, I know I can look it up).  When I understand the simple stuff, then I will answer back with a few questions.

I would sign a non-disclosure agreement anytime at your command.  I would not break or leak it or anything like that in any way.  I am easy enough to find, and I would be more scared of YOU than you should be of me.  

Be very clear in what I would be allowed to present to my (American) in-laws.  They are RICH but careful and picky. They would need a lot of hand-holding, yet they would need (at a minimum) you visit to the USA East Coast for meetings.  They could find tech-people who could help them out.

I too am busy.  On Saturday, our Peruvian bearing company sold over $20,000 worth of bearings (huge for a Saturday), most to the provinces of Peru.  Like you, I have a lot on my plate.

Keep it simple.  Keep it polite.  Keep it professional.  Be patient.  Leave the esoterica behind.  "Show us the money"

*   *   *

Think also about finding some other Angel Investors here at BTCtalk (esp. technical people who a lot more than I do).  Bet you could find some with a proper approach.  I can't help but feel that there are a few 1%-ers lurking around.

If you are on the right trail, Your good ship "Knowledge Age" will arrive very soon laden with riches...

Best of luck however your efforts turn out.



EDIT:

If you seek ONLY small amounts ($10k), then I am not your guy, as you have pointed out.  I lack important knowledge (and hard to acquire) vital in most of your project.  You wrote recently that investing in things one does not understand leads to bad results (typically), and I came back at you with a a couple of such bad results in my own case.

Still, best of luck!

...

I have no idea what Greece or the EU should/would do.  I only know what I would have done, starting slowly some years ago.

Withdrawing CA$H (OK, Euros).  Buying gold.  Getting some money TF outta there.

Land in the USA.  Switch Greek shipping company HQs elsewhere.  US or German stocks.  A house in France.  A job in Italy (well, they might be next...).  LOTS of options. 

*   *   *

It's not, IMO, up to Varoufakis & Syriza, IMO.  It's up to each Greek citizen.

It's already rather late in the game.  Once these capital restrictions start, they typically get worse.  

GTFO.

...

Thorough mixing of coins is a great idea, IMO.  Even if only to practice doing it and learning the system.

Mixing will weed out some of the privacy abusers as Lyth0s pointed out above.

I have no idea if the NSA and their buds (probably) could easily break bitmixer.io and sharedcoin.com (for blockchain.info wallets), but hardly anyone else could, with the mixing done right.

I personally think the mixers provide a much-needed and great service.  JUST those two above I mentioned, almost EVERY OTHER mixer has bad reviews...


*** Do follow instructions though. ***

...

I just came back from Peru.  The BIGGEST billboard at their main airport highlighted new cellphone hand-sets from Huawei (China, Cisco's big competitor and technology-thief).  iApple and Samsung now have a problem...

If BTC hang ins in there another year or so OK (probable), than almost anyone with $100 (cheapest in Peru) would be able to get a smart phone that could use Bitcoin.

...

TPTB

Take investment advice from someone you only know over the internet (FOFOA and TPTB)?  

Sorry could not resist.

*   *   *

I am now happily back in the USSA, ready to be Tax Donkey-ed some more.  I still hope to hear some more practical ideas for investment to help each of us through our current environment of Economic Totalitarianism.

*   *   *

Welcome, hamdache.

My whole experience here is just an experiment as well.  Jump in!  

*   *   *

TPTB

I suspect that if you really wanted $100,000 or MUCH more (not 10k), then you should be able to find it easily enough.

WRITE something compelling the to the BTC community (thought leaders, developers, etc.) or even the Winkelvoss twins.  There is TONNES of dough out there looking for a good investment.  Silicon Valley is looking HARD for people who can make THEM rich too.

My sister is married to a Private Venture guy with staff.  They are extremely rigid in what they look at though (I presented them once with something that got dismissed right away).

Drop me a PM if you would like to follow up.  10k does not interest them.  A million would.  Multi-millions even better.  Be prepared to give up a LOT of equity and work like a dog.  Not to mention have a boss.  That's is about all I could offer.  And no guarantees (not even close).  Sorry, but that is nature of the game.

The money is there, but you would have to prove yourself (like visiting them, showing them stuff).  I could understand if you would decline.



EDIT: Hell, TPTB, you just write something convincing just to CC, me and any others around here (who actually KNOW BTC and code), you'd probably raise $100k right quick.  But, YOU would have to prove yourself to us, and you would likely NOT be left with over 50% of the company.  We would find the right lawyers in your country.  Yes, some of us have been there and done that.

I am sure that you already know this kind of stuff though...

...

They paid me yesterday. 

IMPECCABLE   

...

Based on what I am hearing from Argentina (two of my three localbitcoin suppliers visit Argentina regulalrly) and the fact that of the FOUR Peruvian tech people I have talked to here in Peru (on visit), I would have to conclude:

That a financially repressive country like Argentina with an active IT community needing financial freedom to move funds around is an ideal place for BTC to make quick advances.

Argentina is worth keeping an eye on.  I wonder how China and Russia are now re Bitcoin...  CHINA now mines over 50% of it!  Russia is cracking down.

Peru imposes very few capital controls (similar to the current USA policies actually).  NOT ONE of the four Peruvian IT guys even knew what I was talking about.

...

Actual actions taken by me, OK then:

1)  Bought enough BTC to where I am comfortable with the amount and the reasonable security (hardware and thorough mixing) I have taken to hodl them safely.  Not an expert though.

2)  An owner of, and been helping my in-laws run, a debt-free and stable & profitable business in Peru.

3)  Owner of gold, silver and platinum, all nicely hidden away in six locations.

4)  Working on finding ways to help our daugher if/when we become blessed with grandchildren.

5)  No debts.

6)  For possibly the first time ever in my life (and most importantly), am trying to IMPROVE my life, in ways I will not go into detail here, perhaps on another thread later.  Hint: author Emmet Fox

...

TPTB, now you´re talking.  Stuff we all can understand.

OK, I hear you re the (quiet) assets you and CC have talked about, as well as those that could become known.  That topic is one some of my amigos and I are talking about.

To raise real money, you are going to have to lay out some version or other of a Business Plan that would be credible to many.  Else, you limit your "Investor Universe" to very few...  Unless you find an angel investor who understands what you are doing and can pony up the amount you need to do it.

Which maybe you can!  Good luck!

[Ugh cigars, they make me nauseous unless I spit a lot...]

*   *   *

aminorex, that is generally true.  I could not have gotten to where I am without win-win along the way.

...

TBTP, unfortunately the plane (back to the USA) I will be on tomorrow night does not have wifi, pity, I could have put in a few hours of thought into various of your comments.

I think that you misinterpret what I mean by diversification.  I´ll be clearer on that point soon.  REAL diversification...  Including a decent amount of Bitcoin, mixed out the wazoo.

Now that our daughter is married, we are looking at forming trusts for any grandchildren we may get.  You never know, but destitution is likely not my future.

Nor are bunkers our thing.  My wife and I would make lousy farmers, even worse hunter/gatherers.

*  *  *

It will take me longer to give a better answer re FOFOA.  I like the fact that you went up against some of his major supporters.  But, that will take time to digest, and some of their own views have diverged (AFAIK).

Re Knowledge Age, yes, you are right that it is accelerating.  Did you see the exact changes coming?  I did not.

I contend that NO ONE sees what is really coming, it will almost surely be a series of Black, White and Gray Swans.

MS was a Black Swan in your case, for example (unless you already knew about it beforehand).

*  *  *

It is not necessary to give up hours more of your time on my behalf.  Simple suggestions as to what we can do as individuals vs. Econimc Totalitarianism is what I seek on this thread.

The esoterica better belongs on CoinCube´s Economic Devastation thread.

Buy this.  Sell that.  Watch what happens here for opportunity.  Stay away from there to avoid risk.  Learn about this.  Consider this place, but not that one.  Simple things.

...

chaoman

Sometimes a long confirmation (eg, one hour, happens more often than you would think) can happen.  It is usually best to put some "slack" into your plans, do not assume that everything will go "as it should or normally does".

blockchain.info is sometimes slow to update without refreshing the page too.

*  *  *

Also, NEVER EVER take any BTC on any boats.  They say that there is much heartbreak among many owners of Bitcoin who have lost them in boating accidents.

Why that happens to owners of precious metals even more!  They take their shiny with them, knowing that it is safer with them rather than in some dark hiding place at home.  Until disaster strikes...