Monthly Archives: November 2013

Beyond Cash or Credit: Alternative small business payment solutions

Posted on by

“Just because the payment solution you’re offering is not the tried-and-true standard exemplified by cash or credit, that doesn’t mean its implementation will be difficult.  First, tell your customers, by word of mouth, ads, or sticking notices on your storefront window, that you will be offering this alternative payment solution. And of course, make mention of it on your website. Also, Sah suggests registering with various websites (e.g. bitcoin.travel) that list which businesses accept bitcoin. And for those interested in offering bitcoin, there is a plethora of websites that track where you can send bitcoin transactions. (They include: Bicoin, Bitcoinmining, Usebitcoins and Howtobuybitcoins.)”

https://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com/community/running-your-business/merchantservices/blog/2013/10/09/beyond-cash-or-credit-exploring-alternative-payment-solutions-for-small-businesses

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Fed Critic Mulligan Mint Files for Bankruptcy

Posted on by

“A Dallas mint that makes commemorative coins and ‘alternative’ money for people who are wary of the U.S. dollar has run into problems with its own finances. The 25-worker Mulligan Mint Inc.—which has the power to create a ‘complementary currency system that can fill in the blanks where the U.S. dollar lets us down,’ according to its president—has filed for bankruptcy after officials in June discovered that part of a $1.4 million shipment of silver was missing.  Mulligan Mint’s bankruptcy stops Republic Metals, which has sued the mint, from taking any more of the plant’s property. The county’s sheriff already took $200,000 worth of silver and gold amid the dispute.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/bankruptcy/2013/09/20/texas-coin-maker-for-fed-estranged-files-for-bankruptcy/

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

itBit Launches Bitcoin Exchange with $5.5M in Funding

Posted on by

“Today itBit, a global bitcoin exchange, announced their official launch as well as the completion of their second round of funding. The company raised a total of $5.5M, with the most recent round closed over the last month for $3.25M. itBit is opening trading today for non-US institutional and retail traders, as well as some US institutional traders. The exchange is headed by Rich Teo, who previously worked as a Senior Analyst at Cedar Hill Capital Partners and Citigroup as an M&A analyst before that. itBit has offices in Singapore, Shanghai and New York, and is looking to serve the full global market of bitcoin traders.”

http://thegenesisblock.com/bitcoin-exchange-itbit-announces-launch-5-5m-total-funding/

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

The Rush to Coin Virtual Money With Real Value

Posted on by

“Programmers around the world have been churning out new digital currencies that try to improve on the concept of bitcoin, the hot but controversial virtual money that has swept the Internet. Already, dozens of ideas are jockeying for the market. At last count, a website that tracks the market, coinmarketcap.com, listed 36 so-called crypto-currencies, with names like bitbar, freicoin and cryptogenic bullion, and new ones are being added each month. Collectively, these digital moneys had a recent market value of about $4.3 billion, of which $4.1 billion was from the dominant currency, bitcoin.”

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/the-rush-to-coin-virtual-money-with-real-value/?_r=1&

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Mike Hearn Talks About Bitcoin Extended Applications

Posted on by

“When Satoshi Nakamoto created the Bitcoin protocol he envisioned the system not only as a way of moving money from one owner to another, but also as a broader mechanism to manage agreements and instructions, by creating a space within Bitcoin transfers where users could enter scripts stating conditions for their transactions.  This functionality opens a whole new game where service providers and startups can build on top of the Bitcoin network to create new products and services with innovative business models.  In this interview Mike Hearn, Google Engineer and Bitcoin Core Developer, explains what was Satoshi’s idea and what applications he envisions for the future of Bitcoin.”

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

US Pushes for Free Trade Pact with EU Despite NSA Scandal

Posted on by

“In the coming meetings this week in Brussels and in those scheduled in Washington in December, the technical and regulatory details should be settled, and sticking points such as how to handle genetically modified foods and standards for medication are to be worked out.  When it comes to the discussions over technical trade details, contentious political issues such as the NSA spying scandal will be left out, because the bureaucrats negotiating are not responsible for them. public approval for any such agreement has dropped since the NSA revelations were made.”

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/us-pushes-for-free-trade-pact-with-eu-despite-nsa-scandal-a-932913.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Germany Warns of Possible Threat to US Facilities in Spying Scandal

Posted on by

“Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has warned American sites in the country could be at risk of attack from people angry about the NSA spying scandal. The message has worried officials in Rhineland-Palatinate, where the Rammstein air base is located.  The domestic intelligence agency warned in an Oct. 30 letter that ‘an emotional response from certain segments of the population cannot be ruled out’ and recommended that ‘security measures aimed at protecting US facilities in Germany should be increased.’ The agency said the background behind the ‘potential threat’ was ongoing discussions about the ‘collection of Germans’ data by the United States.'”

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-warns-of-possible-threat-to-us-facilities-in-spying-scandal-a-932928.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

BlackBerry gives Indian government ability to intercept messages

Posted on by

“After years of wrangling, BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) has finally agreed to give the Indian government the ability to intercept data sent over BlackBerry devices.  According to leaked Indian government documents seen by the Times of India, ‘the lawful intereception system for BlackBerry Services is ready for use’.  Once implemented, the system will allow the Indian government to track emails and email attachments in real time; to see when BBM messages have been delivered and read; and to intercept web browsing data, according to the report.”

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-07/11/blackberry-india

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

NSA Fallout: Berlin Moves to Increase Mobile Phone Security

Posted on by

“Although other departments have been slower to respond, the Economics Ministry has already taken the step. Two months ago, the office, headed by outgoing Economics Minister Philipp Rösler of the business-friendly Free Democratic Party (FDP), began using 15 of the new BlackBerry Z10 smart phones for test purposes. The phones have been modified so that they house two strictly separated units. One can be used for private communication and the other encrypts both voice calls and emails. Ministry officials have since decided to purchase 110 of the devices. BSI is also working to authorize a special tablet computer that makes it possible to encrypt both emails and Internet surfing.”

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-government-moves-to-beef-up-mobile-phone-security-a-932922.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet

Quantum Spying: GCHQ Used Fake LinkedIn Pages to Target Engineers

Posted on by

“Elite GCHQ teams targeted employees of mobile communications companies and billing companies to gain access to their company networks. The spies used fake copies of LinkedIn profiles as one of their tools.  The Belgacom employees probably thought nothing was amiss when they pulled up their profiles on LinkedIn, the professional networking site. The pages looked the way they always did, and they didn’t take any longer than usual to load.The victims didn’t notice that what they were looking at wasn’t the original site but a fake profile with one invisible added feature: a small piece of malware that turned their computers into tools for Britain’s GCHQ intelligence service.”

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/ghcq-targets-engineers-with-fake-linkedin-pages-a-932821.html

Scan to Donate Bitcoin to Freedomwat.ch Staff
Did you like this?
Tip Freedomwat.ch Staff with Bitcoin
Donate via Installed Wallet