Jeez, with that kinda luck, I would have ordered Ten or more. (I am paranoid). But in Minnesota with my soon to be summer rates of probably close to 17c kWh. (I can't believe it is that bad, I just can't believe it). I am selling crap on eBay I likely would otherwise have died with for BTC. Hell, at these prices I'm motivated. Sigh. Attic Minning on eBay, how far I have fallen from my hardcore ASIC addiction. Miss my home miners in the basement. 'Mass quantities at one time in my basement'. Alas!

Have a buddy with a data hall at around 10 1/2c a kWh? So tempting, very tempting, but likely I'll wait. So will continue to lurk on the thread here.

Yeah, going up to stupid and too fast like the other day when it cranked up 10% was fun! (Even though I know it is exuberance) ...and a trip back to 2013 and my newbie days

great fun that was from 0ct 18th 2013 was $150 when I started mining, by Thanksgiving I think it was..it was over $1,000. Damn, I so 'drank' that newbie Kool-Aid!

Anyway, will hold off on the FOMO/PUMP music...not quite as silly the other day..but I'm doing bills so could use the 'sugar high' (even if it does correct a bit over 10k...I just really, really

like saying, IF it may correct down to over 10k.....so refreshing!)

In that on 4/5/19 BTC was $5,050 these are heady times indeed.

Brad

Is this thread dead? If so is there a different thread?

Brad

Ack! Sent you a PM just saw it was ICELAND ...well reply to me anyway on the data hall...I may think about that

I'd assume it was big bucks to send the stuff to the USA..so the PM may be moot I sent you.

(duh...crypto is a worldwide endeavor..duh...write this on my hand)

Brad

Well, I figure by the time society/Gov't is after me and it is that far gone, it won't matter. I also figured that IF a meteorite takes out my bank, well the crypto gods hate me!

I 'suppose' I should make a copy to another bank in another state, in case of the 'Zombie Apocalypse'

What you state above, does not really matter in my case, in that when BTC was evil in 2013 my bank manager informed the SEC I was an 'evil crypto trader' in that in 2013

all BTC was for drugs/hookers/etc. Thus at least for 2 weeks going into the bank before the SEC guy phoned and had a meeting about this. I was a 'true' desperado with

all the side looks and side talk when I went to the bank to do my business. I cleared it all up with my mining CPA signed Tax Return of 2014, made the bank manager look

like an Idiot. Thus have been 'legal as hell' from that point on.

So I'm afraid the powers that be already have my number, in that I had to tag my bitcoin addresses etc to my

taxes (at least in my own files). Thus, doomed.

I will, however, let everyone else know when the above as you state happens so others can flee. Alas. My fate is likely sealed.

Brad

Damn, I hope you correct. If Bitcoin gets to around say $20k even by the middle of next Summer, I think my head will explode.

Not sure which is worse though, limiting my expectations on price, the price pumps and I am confused. Or thinking the price is gonna pump past the ATH

with the 'heady" adrenaline rush of 'fear' 'panic' and damn...now wtf do I do? Sell/Hodl/Panic?

sh*t at least my life is 'exciting' with crypto in the recesses and windmills of my mind.  

Stuff to do.



Exactly where I'm at with all that.

Also, I've kept the BCH and BSV stuff on my legacy addresses. In the United States, if I don't touch the stuff, no taxes. As soon as I touch this 'moon drop' of many bitcoin forked coins

(BCH/BSV/BTC, etc) Then I pay 'capital gains' on when it hit my bitcoin legacy addresses from the sky. So, not an ideal situation, but why I've held on to BCH and BSV, etc and not

stripped them from my legacy wallet. I dread someday with an audit having to explain Bitcoin/Altcoins/Forked Coins/ICO's etc to an IRS person. A year ago on an unrelated crypto

tax question I called the IRS to ask about something and off hand I asked how many IRS folk were working with the IRS representative answering the phone in that IRS center.

She said 100 plus. I asked her if anyone there could answer any IRS type tax questions on crypto and/or Bitcoin, etc. She was gone for quite a bit, so I think she really worked

the room, but NO ONE knew anything at that IRS call center on how all this crypto/BTC works. Anyway, as an aside.

But back to the point you state, there are more than a few reasons to just keep your stuff in cold storage (safety deposit box in my case) along with the segit info above.

Brad

I certainly hope you are correct. I just can't help that the powers that be (centralized entities like facebook, banks, gov't, etc) are just letting Bitcoin off 'too easy'.

I suspect that if/when Libra, the facebook coin, is allowed, after jumping through a lot of 'regulatory hoops' in the United States and other countries.

The 'other shoe' will fall.

I just can't see them letting go of replacing Bitcoin at some point in the future as an attempt. It is too tempting to just tweak their Libra protocol and allow staking or something

else to go for it. There is no downside that  I can see for them to add such to the protocol to try. Worst that would happen if they fail, with the status quo just staying with

Bitcoin. But that is my prediction, once Libra gets its 'feet under itself' and launches, they will make a run, in some manner, I'm not sure how to replace Bitcoin as also a store

of value coin. I just can't see them letting that go, even if it is a down the road 'hail mary' pass like in American Football. Might be low odds, but if they could pull it off they would

be golden.

Brad

To your first point above. I did not tell them I was from the United States of America. Just getting on to the web page gives me the 'Not available in your Area' Screen of death!

here it the twitter link. CREX24 is NOT available in the United States nor Canada.

As to the ESCODEX, no flag comes up, like for CREX24, but then again have not tried to make an account there yet.

Still debating IF, I should get a masternode for this Bitcoin 2. I suspect not in that you need 1,000 BTC2 to HODL and the price keeps going up for Bitcoin 2.

(counter-intuitive I know, which probably is a sign from the crypto gods I should get a masternode)

Ah, crypto I spend most of my time in utter confusion on WTH is going on.

Thanks for the advice. This is what I've found out so far. Will probably get around to signing up on ESCODEX, just for the heck of it, to see if I can make an account.

I will post my results here, no matter if/when/never I get a BTC2 masternode and just 'lurk' around here anyway.

Brad

I"m stuck on the 'stablecoin' part of Bitcoin not being a threat to Bitcoin. I mean, if you have a centralized coin, and it is based on currencies/USD/etc what is to stop you from

paying in interest (like a bank) or staking this coin for profit and a store of value?

Remember we are talking 1.5 Billion people on Facebook. With Libra coin, all the transaction fees and such go to the $10 million dollar nodes run by Paypal or visa or whomever.

Thus facebook profits (unless the various gov't allow massive data mining of info of folk like the regular Facebook) Where else is this Libra going to get its value? I guess I need

small words, but if that is the case, then would/could Libra replace Bitcoin as a store of value coin also? Thus being the 'darling' of centralization efforts by governments and

banks, etc?

Again, use small words on why this is not so. Just seems if there is an evil angle here to usurp Bitcoin and open source crypto it would be in this Libra coin, considering the source.

Brad

IF as you state above "people start holding funds in Libra/Calibra instead of bank accounts". As you quote above, this would be IMHO very, very bad for Bitcoin as a 'store of value'

If LIbra has the option to gain interest as a bank and be its 'own store of value". I am somewhat unclear on this, however. With all the online banking in the world, I find it hard to

believe that if Libra is sanctioned by the gov't and powers that be, it could not be allowed to also act as a bank and pay interest and do loans like any other web-based bank

out in the world. Thus, if this came to pass, could not Bitcoin and other open source coins be 'pushed out' and Libra replace Bitcoin?

Let me know what you think. I am befuddled. Everyone seems to think Libra will help BTC as a store of value, but I for one can't for the life of me, see why they would not

take these next and obvious steps and also make Libra a centralized coin as a store of value backed by Facebook. Just seems the way I would go if I was an 'evil mastermind'

and wanted to replace my 'centralized Libra coin" as the next Bitcoin that I could control completely.

So educate me on why this would or could not be done and/or why this would not be easy? Seems a clear enough evil path to me!

Brad

Many countries float proposals on bitcoin all the time. For good reasons (adoption IMHO) or for bad reasons (banning). Most if not all are just 'noise'.

I've been hearing Russia is going to ban Bitcoin or that India is gonna ban Bitcoin for more than a few years now, and nothing from either camp ever comes to pass.

In Russia for example, this may be the ONLY way that oligarchs and such on the USA ban list of seizing assets etc....to move anything outside of the country.

It has too much use for the powers that be, at least in Russia. Now India, however, you maybe could ban Bitcoin at least on paper if not in practicality. But

the adoption rate (I think) is nowhere near as high.

Anyway, how this has shaken out since 2013 and year by year from what I can tell. More or less the same song since than...lots of talk..little in the way of even

feeble attempt to control Bitcoin.

Brad

This article's take on Libra, the Facebook coin is kinda bleak. This is just the first step in the war against, open protocol electronic currency.

The catch is with Libra, the fast transactions and that speed advantage and the user base of Facebook will make for interesting times indeed!

I myself, am wondering, IF, BTC will continue to be a 'store of value' under such a shadow. I mean how hard can it be for Facebook to say, keep so much Libra

and you will get a % interest paid out on Libra and/or staking? The $10 million dollar node setup for Libra (see article link below) means ALL transaction fees, etc goes to the operator of the

$10 million dollar nodes. Like Visa and Mastercard.

So, we knew this was coming, but I wonder if anyone in the crypto world and/or the bitcoin devs or altcoin devs (of any flavor) really can compete and/or compensate

promoting BTC or whatever against this juggernaut?

https://hackernoon.com/libra-a-cyberpunk-nightmare-in-the-midst-of-crypto-spring-5543b6f6e34b

Ah, Bitcoin is like the very HOT bi-polar Girlfriend. When it is bad, it is very, very bad.

But when it is good, she is very, very bad...(er, distracted myself) ..I mean all is great!

But there seems to be no in between. I alas, am addicted to the drama, I'm afraid.

I HODL, thus co-enabling this merciless bitch that has my heart.

Well, Bitcoin is always interesting, to say the least

Brad

I'm pretty sure all their 'discretionary' funds for such an endeavor are already tied up in unsold sia-tech miners, paying the devs and such their yearly income, and of course

the shooting over to the GRIN protocol for mining as well as a large bet, IMHO, of their profits (as such) from the sia-tech equipment sales. I mean they 'leaped' on GRIN with

'oil based miners' for crying out loud. I see no corresponding investment in the sia-storage option and/or development and or entrapranueal risks. Indeed, they have stated in the past

that the price of siacoin does not matter, in that it will simply be the means to use/compensate for their sia-tech anonymous and decentralized storage vision.

So again, IMHO, they are tapped out. The equip ASIC's they have in play 'better sell' or the whole endeavor for decentralized storage vision is gonna go 'poof' IMHO.

Again, wish someone had some hard numbers on building a sia-tech storage box. Even a small one with 'used' equipment, just to get an idea of how far off the mark they

are in their vision.

As an aside, did they EVER even sell the MINERBOX from last year? Do they even sell 'pre-built' units like that...that make any sense ROI wise? Or even less than ROI by a bit

just for experimentation. For all the 'emphasis' on their vision, I sure don't hear a lot about any of this.

But some hard and fast data on any box for storage that someone tried or has out in the real world ..well it would be nice to do some math on such.

Brad

Naw. It will happen, at least in the USA and such. The reason is money, Facebook will simply thru political influence and dollars, buy a way into their vision of crypto.

It will work like this:

1) too much power with the centralized Libra...Facebook will spin off something separate from Facebook to monitor such with congressional approval.

2) the mix of crypto and currencies to the worth on the Libra coin will be MOSTLY USD. Over 80% IMHO. Again, to calm fears.

3) they MAY have to make a separate entity for keeping track of personal info...if they make this robust enough..they will be allowed to do data mining yet like facebook proper/ Ads.

4) with some banking hoops they will be able to charge interest on your hodl'ing Libra..much like online banks...again probably a separate entity to do so with Congress approval.

5) with above banking hoops filled they will also offer (to start) micro-loans to developing countries citizens.

6) they will incorporate their Libra with eBay, for overseas purchases mainly, to the same underdeveloped citizens of 3rd world countries also. There may be an eBay plan already.

All the above can be put into play and compartmentalized enough, that supposedly, IMHO, Congress will approve all this. Of course, 10 years down the line society will likely

find that they gave too much power to Mark Zuckerberg (even if all the above is parsed out in separate entities they will all still be connected in some way to

Mark Zuckerberg's wealth and these endeavors...spinning off some of this stuff will still give him and facebook clout, even if they accept 49% of the spin off to get approval.

Money talks and B.S. walks. This is a done deal, IMHO because VISA, PAYPAL, etc are all on board already and the ink on above 'adjustments' to  eventual congressional

passage is not even dry yet.

As to what this will do for Bitcoin. Unsure.

Because Libra is tethered and a stable coin to USD and/or basket of other stuff, as Facebook claims. It is hard to see how bitcoin

could not benefit from this being a store of value. (virtual gold) to Libra's (ease for transactions and speed). However, IF by holding Libra you can stake at certain % in interest

and/or Libra itself takes on the quality of a 'banknote'. Well, all bets are off.

If that was the case, IMHO, if Libra had a huge start and use, like when PayPal started, by the

time Bitcoin and Crypto saw this as a threat, folk may have moved on.

Not saying this will happen, but Mark Zuckerberg would NOT be displeased if his Libra currency by happenstance or otherwise replaced Bitcoin and all other cryptos.

He may not feel that is possible, or even very likely, with the Libra Coin launch, but he would certainly like the alternative of this expected or not.

If Libra was to bury Bitcoin and other Cryptos.

So to me, it depends on HOW MUCH of a store of value with banking tricks and other attempts can Facebook make their Libra coin.

Also, Libra, as a 'store of value' like Bitcoin to replace Bitcoin, that is a long shot, indeed, with Bitcoin's 10 year lead on the 'store of value' position, this again,

IMHO is a very big longshot, but not impossible. I can't see them reaching for such heights at this time, would be better to 'use' or co-opt Bitcoin and other Cryptos

to their 'fast currency' vision first. But no one ever said Mark Zuckerberg has ever been accused of 'under-reaching' on launches of ideas/etc.

Again, Big Money Talks and Politician's Listen.

In this century, crony capitalism has made a huge comeback in the world and they may not be done yet!

Anyway, I know zip. Just my take and concerns on this. This  Libra coin is 'going' to happen as to the effects, well, I'm just tossing out my views/concerns above.

Brad


edit: I may be 'too' optimistic about Bitcoin, according to this article. Whatever, I'm befuddled as usual.

https://hackernoon.com/libra-a-cyberpunk-nightmare-in-the-midst-of-crypto-spring-5543b6f6e34b

I wet myself a little bit on reading the above.

At 80K a BTC I would become likely the biggest 'ass' on the planet. I hope it is true but can't even wrap my head around such.

Likely results of BTC in my case hitting $80k a BTC.

1) Would become an 'epic' ass, and thus giving up my amateur status as simply being 'occasionally' 'ass like' in my actions. Would go full pro tour asshole.

2) Would suddenly be more attractive to the oppisite sex (and other...ewwww..). Thus contributing to (see 1 above)

3) Would 'delude' myself that it was all 'skill' when in reality, I just got in as an early adopter because this seemed more prudent then losing $60 a month in electric

    by putting the old bbs and game server back up. I was bored. Yes, that is the lamest excuse ever to get into BTC in 2013. Also by 'forgetting such' (see 1 above).

4) The IRS and others would 'likely' take a lot more interest in my actions. At $80k BTC, there would be a lot of 'data mining' 'supposed' legit Tax Returns for corrected 'ahem' revenue.

5) I would likely, at $80k BTC completely crack up, never selling any, and at the age of 101 years be found dead with cats and an unreadable paper wallet from fondling it.

So looking at above, $80k BTC sounds good. I can deal with the above. It is all about the rationalization.

Brad

I'd really, really, really like to be proven wrong on all this siacoin and sia-tech drama of 1 part coin 1 part equip and 1 part storage. But as far as I know (please, please

someone prove me completely wrong) you simply can't get even within miles of making any money on a sia storage box 'toy, even if your only goal is to put electric in

and hope siacoin comes out at more or less the same return. So, IF there was even a 20% loss of electric in for siacoin out on such a box, even if made with 'used' HD's

off the cuff. There would be, IMHO, at least more than a few folks doing such for giggles to promote this coin and vision. But it is just 'deafening' silence on this whole

part of their project and talk of how they got some corp data farm to do this stuff or something. The boat as it exists doesn't float. No hype, no storage demos, nothing.

Again, someone with a box put up some numbers on what you get even NOT including equipment costs....just frigging electric in (something that is built exists) vs storage

payment out..would be a start.

Anyway, would as usual like to be proven wrong on this, but not seeing it.

Brad

It is all about him getting his name in the press. Just as it is with his other antics to run for President of the United States of America. He is a doofus with a plan.

He also is tossing 'mud' about and such, because he is likely to be extradited back to the USA for tax fraud by living overseas.

He is simply one of a dozen or so megalomaniac that we seem to follow now in our day to day news. News is no longer news, it is all just 'entertainment'

The odds of John McAfee being correct on this are 10x the odds of Craig Wright is being part of the Satoshi Group. It is all misdirection and drama games.

Don't break my dream. Of course, it may go Tulips! That is how most of my guess/endeavors in my life have gone. Tulips.

I'm hoping for a break in that trend and Bitcoin and Crypto with all its varied colors and interactions pulls something out that has value and purpose and worth.

But yeah, Tulips is a possibility.

My view of Tulips now, vs 2013 no longer is down to ZERO in price, I figure as 3 broad options below:

(1) I'm  99% sure it will not go to zero and full tulips.*unlike 2013*. Thus my first guess is at worst, BTC will go down to say $3k and go sideways at a 'bit' better rate than gold. Say 2x the

amount of what Gold is worth more or less. On the supposition that this tops out as BTC's natural level of adoption. Then from this point on, would grow more like a traditional investment.

that is if all the FUD'ster's are correct. This is as bad as I can see it going, more or less, tulip wise. Thus this is the BOTTOM of my expectations.

(2) BTC stays say around the present,  at $10k having met its niche and adoption in the world as per, as I say FUD and pushback. Thus also from this point onwards acting more in

growth like a traditional investment. Not as great as I'd like, but likely a lot better than I ever would have expected BTC to do in 2013 when I got into this.

(3) BTC goes parabolic again. 7x to 14x the $10k rate because it has NOT met its adoption needs worldwide yet and is indeed revolutionary. This has been kinda a
 
the pattern in the past. This still is my 'speculative' bet on bitcoin. I think it is at 87% of all Bitcoin has already been mined. Thus if this 3rd option is true, this right

now is some 'pretty' big prices left to obtain or going to be really valuable virtual real estate at only 21 million coins, of which 87% are now in existence for the purposes of BTC.

But, hell, I've been in this since 2013.

So in my case, even my first (now revised version of tulips) option above is still pretty good as a result of when I got into this. I mean even that from when I started would be remarkable.

I mean, I got into mining in 2013, rather than put up my old bbs game server up again and lose $60 in electric a month running it. Yes indeed, I was that frigging bored.

With a Bitcoin miner, I could pay for the electric with the coin as I went along and MAYBE just before the miner became a doorstop, due to difficulty, I'd have 4 or 5 months of my house

utilities paid in FULL! This before I'd have to shut the miner off as not working to make me BTC anymore. Also, being a fine fellow, it was promoted at the time to help the new micro-lending

in India projects back in 2013. So yeah, I'm still surprised indeed. Like ever frigging day since I turned my 1st BTC miner on! Oct 18th, 2013!

Anyway, those are my current (as of today) fears/dreams/expectations in 3 parts.

Not that I know zip. But at least I feel the boogie man of full TULIPS is no longer in play. Bitcoin has been here for 10 years

so I feel it can never be completely worthless at this point. So all the above 3 steps go from my worst case to my best case 1-3. That is my line in the sand of what my expectations are!

We will see. Chumps or Champs, we will be the first to know!

Brad

The catch is getting used and/or new HD's to rent out such space does not count. Not prudent or feasible or practical at all. The amount of space to make anything on siacoin storage

would require you to have an existing data hall and just do this for kicks. In that you already own the hardware and using it for data storage anyway, so why not use the unused space. It

seems that may be more trouble than it is worth at this time in the sia-tech storage universe for even that to be worthwhile.

I've said it before. Much talk of this storage option but very little in the real world, to justify such equipment purchases either used HD's or new HD's to make this feasible at this time.

But a lot more real-world $$$ can be made in the ASIC miner money making by sia-tech (what is it the 7th batch now?). To top that off, even the last of the ASIC miner batches

they are making are for GRIN coin and not siacoin. You add the other leg to the stool that is overbuilt that is the coin itself. Likely, IMHO, for the amount of work done.

The last leg of this 3 legged stool is the siacoin that is out in the world, much more difficult and much more coin than the siacoin storage network could justify even if it was up in full.

Lots of issues. Couple years behind Timeline. The emphasis on making equipment vs promoting the storage aspect of siacoin. Quite frankly, I'm surprised the coin is not 1/5th the

price it is currently. Not looking good IMHO. Not at all. They need to step it up so AT LEAST a hobbyist can make a sia-tech storage HD system out of used or new parts and play with

it and at LEAST make enough money for electricity in (you pay) for storage payments (to your) in (siacoin storage pays). Without that to move things along it looks like to me, full

stagnation for the storage option..the 'supposed' crown jewel of decentralized, everyone, anonymous cloud storage for everyone.

Naw, at the present time, I"m not buying the hype. They are going sideways on this project at best and likely backsliding big time without our full awareness.

my two siacoin of wisdom on this

Brad