MintChip challenge - Vote for Bitcoin! UPDATE: THEY LIED! SCANDAL!

[elux]

So... MintChip pulled a Barbra Streisand on us?  

Get every decent tech journalist on this. It's a good story. Ready your keyboards, gentlemen!

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[eldentyrell]

I don't think it's evidence of "fiat currency conspiracy" - excluding Bitcoin from their contest is a legitimate business decision they have the freedom to make as a private company.

Except that the Canadian Mint is not a private company.  Its capital base is 100% taxpayer funded.  The government owns it.

[RodeoX]

MintChip sucks! Not only did they lie about who won, but the winning entry is a lie also. MintChip can not be used to make anonymous donations. What a crock of $h!t  

[goodlord666]

I bet Visa would reject as a winning suggestion that their card is a great way to build credit so you could apply for an American Express, if they ran a similar poll.

I was gonna say this but Casascius beat me to it.

Mintchips ARE the digital currency they were trying to promote. And the winning votes basically said "Mintchips are a great way to buy something even better, which is not Mintchip". Or they were thinking of adopting Bitcoins in the first place and set the site up to do a mystery poll on the public to get clues on how to market it right.

And I bet you a thousand non-existing BTC that's exactly what they were doing as I'm sure all those big players in the business have been brooding about this as early as everybody else on here.

Btw, this thread always makes me lust for mint chocolate chips...

[Come-from-Beyond]

<sarcasm>

Maybe the idea to buy bitcoins breaks some rules (http://ideas.mintchipchallenge.com/rules)...

Like

7. The Sponsor and/or the Administrator may, at their sole discretion, at any time, remove the Submissions or any part thereof that: ... f. are in bad taste;

Or

8. Additionally, Submissions will not be accepted if, at the sole discretion of the Sponsor and/or the Administrator, they: ... h. disparage the Sponsor.

</sarcasm>

[niko]

I seriously think it was a misunderstanding. To them, it seemed like an obscure group conspired to vote "use mintchip to buy zangalabapops online"...

[phatsphere]

anyone already contacted them? (in a polite manner, please, i.e. not the usual way)

[Transisto]

...Selected by a panel of Royal Canadian Mint judges from 25 finalists determined by public voting.

[knight22]

...Selected by a panel of Royal Canadian Mint judges from 25 finalists determined by public voting.

Just a bunch of assholes!

[Topazan]

...Selected by a panel of Royal Canadian Mint judges from 25 finalists determined by public voting.

Dang, maybe we should've put 25 bitcoin related suggestions up.

An online currency could be used to buy bitcoin ASICs.

An online currency could be used to invest in bitcoin hedge funds.

An online currency could be used to pay for bitcoin laundering services.

Etc, etc.

[Fizzgig]

If you think this is just some misunderstanding, or if you are surprised by this development, you are completely naive.

[knight22]

If you think this is just some misunderstanding, or if you are surprised by this development, you are completely naive.

They still are a bunch of assholes! that's all you need to know

[marcus_of_augustus]

Crap sandwich from State-backed mint ... did you really expect anything different?

The utter ruination of their false world-view is the only thing that will change some people's perspective.

[c0ffer]

Except that the Canadian Mint is not a private company.  Its capital base is 100% taxpayer funded.  The government owns it.

"The Mint is a for-profit Crown Corporation with a mandate to produce circulation and non-circulation coins (for Canada and other countries), manage the domestic coinage system, and provide advice to the Minister of Finance on all matters related to coinage. It also extends to the production and marketing of bullion and related refinery products and services for profit. Legislation which establishes the Mint is clear that the corporation is to conduct its businesses "in anticipation of profit". That fundamental object has shaped the history of the Mint."

Source: http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/about-the-mint/corporate-information-1300004

[dree12]

I am very disappointed in the mint, private company as it may be. While it may not be in their best interest to award the prize to a competitor, it is a public relations disaster and counterintuitive to democracy.

[niko]

Folks, come on... What was the idea anyway - use government-backed digital currency to buy a decentralized digital currency? No offense, but there is nothing innovative about this. Actually, there is, but it was not explained at all. Try to see it from their perspective.

I am happy that this brought some attention to bitcoin - including members of the panel. I am sure some of them will be smart and curious enough to read and think more about Bitcoin. Good enough for me.

[Daily Anarchist]

This is like the Ron Paul blackout all over again! 

We're not just the internet!

We're not just the internet!

[evoorhees]

MintChip's Barbara Streisand Moment

We just had to blog about this!!

[eldentyrell]

Except that the Canadian Mint is not a private company.  Its capital base is 100% taxpayer funded.  The government owns it.

"The Mint is a for-profit Crown Corporation

That's Canadian for "government owned":

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_corporations_of_Canada

[Gabi]

They are ridicolous, they didn't even release their product sofar and they already lie