Bitcoin press hits, notable sources

[ribuck]

Charles Peralo of the Seasteading Institute mentions Bitcoin as a preferred currency for seasteds, at 8:25 in this interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3axaN1ewHo

[dancupid]

http://www.channel4.com/news/dark-web-the-internet-behind-our-own

Now available on youtube for people outside the UK:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOv5GtNJeVQ

Ridiculous scaremongering - but a nice advert for bitcoins for anyone who doesn't read the Daily Mail.
Whatever happened to channel 4? It used to be radical and interesting - they should change their name to Channel 5.

[Chris Acheson]

The recent unpleasantness surrounding Bruce Wagner has made the front page of Metafilter: http://www.metafilter.com/107065/Bruce-Wagner-and-the-Bitcoin-Scam

The usual critics make their usual criticisms in the comments, though a few MeFites do step up to defend Bitcoin.

[julz]

Bitcoin to make it into English language dictionaries? 
Judging by this link..  it's a possibility

Source: "About Words - a blog from Cambridge Dictionaries Online"

"New words – 5 September 2011"

http://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2011/09/05/new-words-5-september-2011/


"Bitcoin noun a virtual currency, used on the Internet

The virtual currency Bitcoin will ‘bounce back’ after a hack attack caused its value to collapse, according to one of its senior developers.
[www.bbc.co.uk 22 June 2011]"

[julz]

Not exactly a press hit - but I haven't seen this mentioned on the forums anywhere:

I'm not sure how open it is to attend  - but it's interesting nonetheless

Open Video Conference
September 10-12, 2011   New York Law School

http://openvideoconference.org/alternative-currencies-and-transaction-models/

"In recent months, there has been huge progress in infrastructure for micropayments. With Bitcoin bursting in on the scene, and Flattr gaining momentum in micro-donations, it is easier than ever before to imagine a button in your browser that donates $1 to a YouTube video, attaches money to an e-mail, or gives $0.01 to every piece of journalism you read."


"If you’re working in this space, or if you are a developer with either a) experience building applications around micropayments and payment APIs or b) Bitcoin or c) a solid understanding of cryptography and security, please be in touch. We need you to make this session work."

[julz]

Jupiterbroadcasting cover a bit of Bitcoin news every week at the end of their show in the 'Bitcoin Blaster' section.

TechSNAP 21
2011-09-01

http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/11691/smarter-google-dns-techsnap-21/

Regarding bitcoin - Last Thursday's 21 Broadcast covered:

The relationship between bitcoin price and difficulty

Has Bruce Wagner pulled off the biggest financial scam on the bitcoin community?

[julz]

Bitcoin mining trojans are turning up more.
Aggressive distribution and enhanced functionality.

Lucian Constantin
Mon 2011-09-05

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2106704/bitcoin-mining-trojans

"MALWARE RESEARCHERS have warned about increased distribution of Bitcoin mining trojans and point out that some of them have been upgraded to also perform other illegal activities."

"Bitcoin users are advised to keep their virtual wallets encrypted because some of these trojans are also known to steal Bitcoins."

Things are only going to get worse. "Right now, Bitcoins are worth more than $8 each. With the value of Bitcoins constantly rising, the number of malware related to Bitcoin mining will inevitably increase as well," the Trend Micro experts warned.

Constantly rising eh!?  

[proudhon]

Bitcoin mining trojans are turning up more.
Aggressive distribution and enhanced functionality.

Lucian Constantin
Mon 2011-09-05

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2106704/bitcoin-mining-trojans

"MALWARE RESEARCHERS have warned about increased distribution of Bitcoin mining trojans and point out that some of them have been upgraded to also perform other illegal activities."

"Bitcoin users are advised to keep their virtual wallets encrypted because some of these trojans are also known to steal Bitcoins."

Things are only going to get worse. "Right now, Bitcoins are worth more than $8 each. With the value of Bitcoins constantly rising, the number of malware related to Bitcoin mining will inevitably increase as well," the Trend Micro experts warned.

Constantly rising eh!?  

Probably another victim of the log chart.

[julz]

Microsoft wants RBA's change

Charis Palmer
2011-09-06

http://technologyspectator.com.au/industry/financial-services/microsoft-wants-rbas-change

"Microsoft has become the first technology firm to weigh into the debate on innovation in the Australian payments system, calling for the payments infrastructure to be modified to facilitate virtual currencies, such as Microsoft Points"


"The trials and tribulations of Bitcoin, which is about to see one of its currency exchanges face its day in court in France, show just how difficult it is to define what is electronic money, and what is simply another form of stored value."

[julz]

ISC Diary (Internet Storm Center)

Bitcoin – crypto currency of future or heaven for criminals?

Published: 2011-09-05,
Last Updated: 2011-09-05 21:32:45 UTC
by Bojan Zdrnja (Version: 1)

http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=11509


"As Bitcoin is gaining more attention it will be interesting to see what future will bring. Rest assured that we will keep an eye on it."

[julz]

One world, one currency - could the bitcoin solve all our problems?

2011-09-05


http://www.mindfulmoney.co.uk/7016/investing-strategy/one-world-one-currency-could-the-bitcoin-solve-all-our-problems.html

[julz]

Golden Cyberfetters

Paul Krugman
2011-09-07

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

[ben-abuya]

Golden Cyberfetters

Paul Krugman
2011-09-07

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

I'd say this counts as one the most highly visible opinion pieces on Bitcoin we've seen. I was pretty sure he wasn't going to like it but, he took Bitcoin pretty seriously and didn't deride it as much as I thought he would. Overall, I bet a lot of new people will learn or be reminded of its existence because of this.

[molecular]

Golden Cyberfetters

Paul Krugman
2011-09-07

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

Rough summary for the tldr-people:

• First I though what's new? There are already virtual payment system
• Then I realized: it's not pegged to dollar but has fixed money supply (it's money not payment system)
• Evaluation: did this experiment work? (assuming it's over already, lol)
• It's good investment for some but not helping economy as a whole.
• Conclusion: we don't need anything like a new gold standard, that would cause money-hoarding, deflation, and depression

Argh, so he's using our infancy-currency to argue against a gold standard. A bit premature, I would say.

EDIT: I registered and posted a comment, which is waiting for manual check for off-topic or abusive content.

[proudhon]

Golden Cyberfetters

Paul Krugman
2011-09-07

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

Rough summary for the tldr-people:

• First I though what's new? There are already virtual payment system
• Then I realized: it's not pegged to dollar but has fixed money supply (it's money not payment system)
• Evaluation: did this experiment work? (assuming it's over already, lol)
• It's good investment for some but not helping economy as a whole.
• Conclusion: we don't need anything like a new gold standard, that would cause money-hoarding, deflation, and depression

Argh, so he's using our infancy-currency to argue against a gold standard. A bit premature, I would say.

EDIT: I registered and posted a comment, which is waiting for manual check for off-topic or abusive content.

I like that the new thing he discovers about bitcoin isn't that it's decentralized, but that it's not pegged to the dollar.  I mean, there's never been anything not pegged to the dollar, but decentralized payment systems...pft, those are everywhere.

[netrin]

I like that the new thing he discovers about bitcoin isn't that it's decentralized, but that it's not pegged to the dollar.  I mean, there's never been anything not pegged to the dollar, but decentralized payment systems...pft, those are everywhere.

Decentralized doesn't mean anything to half the geeks and nothing to rest of the population.

It's a great piece. In fact, I think it's quite accurate.

...Bitcoin, an attempt to create a sort of private cybercurrency...Bitcoin, rather than fixing the value of the virtual currency in terms of those green pieces of paper, fixes the total quantity of cybercurrency instead, and lets its dollar value float. In effect, Bitcoin has created its own private gold standard world, in which the money supply is fixed rather than subject to increase via the printing press...The dollar value of that cybercurrency has fluctuated sharply, but overall it has soared. So buying into Bitcoin has, at least so far, been a good investment...What we want from a monetary system isn’t to make people holding money rich; we want it to facilitate transactions and make the economy as a whole rich. And that’s not at all what is happening in Bitcoin...the Bitcoin economy has in effect experienced massive deflation...incentive to hoard the virtual currency rather than spending it...it reinforces the case against anything like a new gold standard – because it shows just how vulnerable such a standard would be to money-hoarding, deflation, and depression.

[julz]

Someone at businessinsider decides to put words in Krugman's mouth with a misleading title on their shoddy little meta-article.

Paul Krugman Explains Why Bitcoin Is A Stupid Currency

Joe Weisenthal
2011-09-07

http://www.businessinsider.com/paul-krugman-on-bitcoin-2011-9

[BkkCoins]

Golden Cyberfetters

Paul Krugman
2011-09-07

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

While reading his article I just wondered where he comes up with his claims. Bitcoin prices are lower than in a longer time and this doesn't indicate to me that people are hoarding it.

If you look at figures on BitcoinWatch it looks like in the last 24 hours about a quarter of all Bitcoins have changed hands in transactions and this is typical many days. So isn't that explicitly what he says a good currency should be for: trade, transactions.

In comparison only about 3% of that volume is in US$ exchange which to me says that the everyday in and out of US$ is but a small part of the overall trade volume. I don't know what that trade is but people seem to be transacting - so I just don't know where he pulls his ideas out of.

I can guess though. I don't know much about Krugman but it seems like he has an axe to grind against Gold and so he just uses Bitcoin as an opportunity to take a swing, pulling out of his *ss whatever fits his gripes against Gold.

I'm pretty sure the percent of US$ supply that is being "hoarded" (ie. not traded today) vs. percent of Bitcoins, is probably higher - though I'm just pulling that idea out of my *ss too.

[molecular]

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/golden-cyberfetters/

Discussion of Krugman piece can go here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=42004

[julz]

From a US marketing firm for credit unions.

This is yet another commentator who seems to draw conclusions of where bitcoins are headed based on the recent price decline.

The end of money?

2011-09-07
Kent Dicken

http://www.sharedidiz.com/?p=8551

"As the Bitcoin enthusiasts lose their enthusiasm, it looks like Bitcoins will simply fade away."

iDiz:

For those of you new to iDiz, we're a strategic marketing agency located in Indianapolis. We handle advertising, promotional campaigns, web sites, branding, print, and more for credit unions all across the country that are ready to grow