2013-04-05 Al Jazeera English - Inside Story : Cashing in on the Bitcoin boom

[labestiol]

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/04/20134572639241668.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ZQXJ5i7F0

So, is Bitcoin a realistic substitute for hard cash, or is it a bubble about to burst?

To discuss this, Inside Story, with presenter Fauziah Ibrahim, is joined by guests: Amir Taaki a principal at the British Bitcoin exchange, Intersango;  Pavan Duggal, a technology expert and cyber crimes specialist; and Hugo Rifkind, a columnist for the Times and the Spectator.

Amir. Again.

[proudhon]

Great to see such a long piece with well informed arguments from knowledgeable people but imho Amir needs to polish his interview skills for this level of publicity. Nothing wrong with what he's saying or his appearance but the way he presents it looses a lot of credibility, if he could get together with Trace on how to put points forward he could be a major asset in presenting Bitcoin as a system for everyone.

Or not.  Amir's history with bitcoin (i.e. the bitcoinica consultancy debacle) is a huge scar on his reputation and I'm baffled that that isn't dug up by the reporters interviewing him.  His active incompetence helped along the loss of tens of thousands of bitcoins.

[Piper67]

Great to see such a long piece with well informed arguments from knowledgeable people but imho Amir needs to polish his interview skills for this level of publicity. Nothing wrong with what he's saying or his appearance but the way he presents it looses a lot of credibility, if he could get together with Trace on how to put points forward he could be a major asset in presenting Bitcoin as a system for everyone.

Or not.  Amir's history with bitcoin (i.e. the bitcoinica consultancy debacle) is a huge scar on his reputation and I'm baffled that that isn't dug up by the reporters interviewing him.  His active incompetence helped along the loss of tens of thousands of bitcoins.

Agreed, the entire conversation between Trace and Amir should go like this.

Trace: From now on, I will talk about Bitcoin, if a journalist contacts you, give them my number.
Amir: OK.

[Luno]

 Amir Taaki is totally over the top in this interview. I like his arguments, however declaring war on international banking and governments on a sat channel is counter productive.

He gives an excuse for government intervention!!: Forget about finding Satoshi we can just pick up Amir dig up some smudge from his past and extradite him to the US on terrorism charges. He is going to be hotter than Assange and Bradly combined!

Serious business is neither interested in participating in a crusade against their administrators of property rights , their governments.....

[abrkn]

　

[Missionary]

Amir should really tone it down a couple of notches. He is making Bitcoin look like some kindergarden plan to overtake the world.

[flug]

The guy from the Spectator was developing some really good questions about the implications of Bitcoin. We need to engage those kinds of questions thoughtfully, rather than responding like some crazed evangelist.

[Piper67]

The guy from the Spectator was developing some really good questions about the implications of Bitcoin. We need to engage those kinds of questions thoughtfully, rather than responding like some crazed evangelist.

What we need is for Taaki to keep his mouth shut, or at the very least for the rest of the Bitcoin community to successfully divorce ourselves from him. I doubt it will happen, though, but here's hoping.

[Mark Oates]

To defend Amir, I think it's OK for people to see his image.  His arguments are good, and while his appearance isn't exactly "attractive" and "comforting" to the common man, his views do reflect the sentiment of a strong part of our (increasingly diverse) bitcoin culture.

What is good for people to see, is a "hacker" arguing passionately about the inherent good of people.  If you were the common layman and took a second to "listen to the wacko", you would hear his passions for a healthy and vibrant world economy, freedom from banks, a need for a system that is safe from identity thieves, etc.  It helps to quell the stereotype that "those guys" are only interested in creating a cryptic-currency to go buy drugs.  And I see that as a positive thing.

Also, the audience of Al Jazeera is more diversity-aware than the typical American audience.

(I thought the Indian guy did a good job, but his accent was a little thick ).

[Nemesis]

how the hell this scammer got on TV?

Why cant they contact a members of bitcoin foundation for fucks sake?

Stupid media.

[cypherdoc]

Taaki again?!!!

[cypherdoc]

Taaki again?!!!

you know what?  i spoke before i watched.  bad mistake.

Amir killed that interview!  he hit on all the right elements and did it with passion.  i think it helped him that he was part of a debate and could "respond" with counterpoints to what was being said.  also, it gave him time to formulate his thoughts and express them in a coherent manner.

WAY TO GO AMIR!!!!

[beckspace]

Actually, I think Amir did well.

Passionate. Check.
Coherent. Check.
Mohawk hairstyle. Check!

[cypherdoc]

Actually, I think Amir did well.

Passionate. Check.
Coherent. Check.
Mohawk hairstyle. Check!

i hear Amir and Gavin are brothers.

[TheKoziTwo]

This guy caused losses and theft of more than 60 000 bitcoins.

[jinni]

Al Jazeera does it again!

I loved this coverage. Amir was great but I wish he wouldn't interrupt as much - still he managed to get a lot of good points through. Only thing he didn't managed is how easy it is to make an impossibly safe offline wallet on a usb stick...can't be hacked if it's offline.

Still Al Jazeera is still the first major major major news network to give Bitcoin such a serious coverage.

The main thing I get from this is how seriously it is treated. Truly groundbreaking.

Thank you Al Jazeera!

[hous]

He could of least had a wash.

[paraipan]

Taaki again?!!!

Oh noes  

He could of least had a wash.

+1

[paraipan]

Taaki again?!!!

Oh noes  

He could of least had a wash.

+1

Edit: Good job Amir, keep it up and please make your bitcoin address public so we can contribute for you awesome work.

[marcus_of_augustus]

Hoody, mohawk ... he's really just a big, cuddly teddy bear, what's not to love?

Kind of spooky those cyber-crimes goons were waiting for him when he got off the ferry ... wonder who's pulling their strings?