Meet “FiatLeak.com” – Real Time Map Analysis of Bitcoin Transactions by Country

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This site is pretty sweet. It uses data from the three major Bitcoin exchanges for which data is published, Mt. Gox, Bitstamp and BTC China to show you which countries and which currencies are moving in and out of bitcoin in real time. I really like the table at the bottom which keeps a tally … Read more

Obama’s Approval Ratings are Lower than Crack Smoking Toronto Mayor’s

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Just in case you weren’t up to speed on the uncontrolled demolition that is the Obama Administration, recent poll data demonstrates that he is less popular than Toronto mayor Rob Ford, who recently admitted to smoking crack while in a drunken stupor. The decline of Obama has been underway for a while now, let’s not … Read more

The Chinese Can Now Buy Real Estate and the Dutch Can Order Food Online with Bitcoin

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Understandably, pretty much all of the focus on Bitcoin as of late has been on price appreciation considering the extraordinary move it has undergone. Specifically, it has quadrupled in value from the post Silk Road shutdown lows a little over a month ago. While understandable, it’s a bit unfortunate at the same time. The focus on price is taking away from the great strides being made in its acceptance, and at the end of the day, it is acceptance that gives ultimate value to Bitcoin not buyers and sellers. In that spirit, I want to highlight two recent significant early adopters of Bitcoin, both overseas.

While I reported in April on a NYC landlord accepting bitcoin for rental payments, in China you can now buy property with bitcoin. More from Finextra:

Bitcoin acceptance in China has now extended into real estate with a residential developer in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech park in Shanghai finding a new way to promote sales through the acceptance of Bitcoin virtual currency.

As part of the promotion, Shanda accepted Bitcoins for payment. Although the exchange rate was ‘fixed’ at 1,000 Chinese Yuan (CNY) to one Bitcoin and the developer reserved the right to adjust the rate, the deal represents one of the first times that Bitcoin could be used for such a large scale ‘public’ purchase. The exchange rate was about 1,200 CNY : 1 Bitcoin on BTCChina that day, so the developer was obviously trying to hedge a bit in case Bitcoin fell through, but considering the rate is rapidly reaching nearly 2,000 CNY : 1 Bitcoin, it would have been a great deal for the developer – Bitcoin is one of the few investments in China that has been increasing faster than real estate in 2013.

The current run-up in the price of Bitcoin is an indicator of the interest in the currency, but is likely largely due to speculation. However, examples like this property development show how Bitcoin could be used for non-speculative purposes in nearly every industry. Regular bank transactions to pay for property would typically involve a stack of paperwork and likely a solid afternoon in the bank. With Bitcoin, the transaction could be completed in minutes.

Additionally, the 10th biggest Dutch online retailer now accepts Bitcoin. The company handles payments for around 5,000 restaurants and on its first day accepting BTC, it processed 250 Bitcoin transactions.

More from Coindesk:

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The United States has More People in Jail than High School Teachers and Engineers

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America has become a gigantic gulag over the past few decades and most of its citizens don’t know, or just don’t care. One of the primary causes of the over incarceration in the U.S. is the absurd, tragic failure that is the “war on drugs”, and indeed nearly half of the folks in prison are … Read more

My Recent Webinar with TF Metals Report

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It’s been a little while since I joined the always witty and entertaining Turd Ferguson of TF Metals Report for an interview. Last week, we sat down and conducted a webinar where the site’s premium subscribers we able to ask me on the spot questions on pretty much any topic they could think of. It … Read more

Colorado Rejects State Tax Increase Supported by Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

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One of the measures on the ballot in the state of Colorado on Tuesday was Amendment 66, which would have raised the state income tax in order to provide more funds for public education. I voted against it for two main reasons.

First, it seems any time politicians want to take money out of your pocket they now scream “public education” as if like some pavlovian dogs we will all immediately say yes. It has become increasingly clear to me, as well as many other Americans, that a lack of money is clearly not the problem. Not in public education and not in a lot of things. Certainly it wasn’t hard to come up with trillions out of thin air when the bankers needed it. So give me a fucking break.

Second, the measure would have taxed certain communities disproportionately to others. This is precisely the problem with centralization. When one community gets taxed to provide for another there will almost always be zero accountability.

The measure failed by a wide majority, and what makes it failure even sweeter is the fact that nanny-state former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg was a strong supporter. This is the second time this year (that I know of) where Bloomberg tried to influence local Colorado politics and the second time his efforts have failed. The first instance was his support for pro-gun control candidates that faced a recall election.

As I said at the time, I hope the oligarch wastes all his billions on his pet causes no one cares about.

More from the WSJ:

A ballot measure to raise income taxes to fund education in Colorado failed by a wide margin Tuesday, two years after state voters rejected a similar plan to increase taxes for schools.

Roughly 66% of voters had rejected the tax proposal, with 85% of Colorado precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press. The measure, known as Amendment 66, would have raised close to $1 billion a year for schools and overhauled the way the state assigns money to school districts.

The measure had attracted national attention from political observers who saw it as a test of whether tax increases tied to education reform had a better chance of passing.

“Coloradans recognize that now is not the time to raise taxes,” said Kelly Maher, a member of Coloradans for Real Education Reform, a group that opposed the new tax. “We need real education reform before Coloradans are going to reach into their pocketbook and give any more money.”

Supporters said the tax, backed by a coalition that included teachers unions and charter-school proponents as well as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and philanthropist Melinda Gates, was necessary to ensure that all Colorado children get a quality education. The funds would be used to improve art and sports programs, as well as provide more support to poor students. Money would also be used to extend classroom time for preschoolers and kindergartners.

You’ve done enough damage to my hometown of NYC, we don’t need your meddling here Bloomie.

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World’s First Bitcoin ATM Processes $100k in Transactions in its First 8 Days

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A little over a week ago, the world’s first Bitcoin ATM was launched to much fanfare in a Vancouver coffee shop called Waves Coffee. This particular machine is made by a company called Robocoin and they sell for $20,000 per unit. While I applaud the company for installing the world’s first Bitcoin ATM, I have … Read more

Is NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is About to Take a Job at JP Morgan?

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Thought the revolving door couldn’t get any worse? Think again. The Banana Republicization of these United States is now traveling at hyperloop speed. It’s one thing for folks at the SEC and Congress to jump ship for Wall Street, but the head of the country’s largest police force going to JP Morgan? This is particularly … Read more

Silk Road 2.0 Has Been Born…New Website Mocks the Feds

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The “authorities” can shut down website after website, but the tide of new technology and the human spirit itself cannot and will not be overcome. This is the hard lesson that statists and collectivists will be learning the hard way in the years to come, as decentralization and freedom stage a gigantic, peaceful revolution. A revolution that is already in full swing and gaining tremendous momentum with each passing day.

It took only a little over a month for Silk Road 2.0 to launch on the “dark web,” and there are already close to 500 illegal drug listings. As part of the new service there is even a new security feature that allows users to use their PGP encryption key as an extra authentication measure. The login page itself is even a parody of the Department of Justice’s seizure of the original site in early October. This is what you see when you visit:

Screen Shot 2013-11-06 at 2.21.58 PM

More from Forbes:

On Wednesday morning, Silk Road 2.0 came online, promising a new and slightly improved version of the anonymous black market for drugs and other contraband that the Department of Justice shut down just over a month before. Like the old Silk Road, which until its closure served as the Web’s most popular bazaar for anonymous narcotics sales, the new site uses the anonymity tool Tor and the cryptocurrency Bitcoin to protect the identity of its users. As of Wednesday morning, it already sported close to 500 drug listings, ranging from marijuana to ecstasy to cocaine. It’s even being administered by a new manager using the handle the Dread Pirate Roberts, the same pseudonym adopted by the previous owner and manager of the Silk Road, allegedly the 29-year-old Ross Ulbricht arrested by the FBI in San Francisco on October 2nd.

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How a Routine Traffic Stop in New Mexico Turned into a Nightmare of Torture for David Eckert

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This is like something out of a science fiction film, anal probing by government officials and public employees.

– Shannon Kennedy, David Eckert’s attorney

2013 has been peppered with its fair share of outlandish and unacceptable stories from within the Banana Republic formerly known as the United States, but the following tale definitely jumps to the top of the list.

David Eckert was just your average U.S. citizen who had apparently failed to come to a full stop at a stop sign in Deming, New Mexico. The local police who witnessed this egregious criminal behavior sprung into action and immediately forced Mr. Eckert from his car. When he stepped outside, the officers claimed that he was “clenching his buttocks.” The sharp witted officers determined they must have a drug dealer on their hands, so they did what any upstanding, logical law enforcement officer would do. They obtained a search warrant for an anal cavity search.

It gets worse, much worse. Upon bringing him to a local hospital, the staff refused to conduct the procedure on ethical grounds. However, such a trivial obstacle wasn’t going to stop these super sleuths from getting their guy! They decided to drive him to another hospital, in another county, where the search warrant wasn’t even applicable. From that point he was subjected to torturous criminal behavior.

First his abdomen was x-rayed. When they found no evidence of narcotics, that wasn’t good enough for these determined officers. They performed not one, but two anal probes with their fingers. No drugs. Then they penetrated his anus to insert an enema three different times, and he was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers on several occasions. Still no drugs. Then he was sedated and forced to have a colonoscopy. Still nothing.

All of this for not fully stopping at a stop sign and supposedly “clenching his buttocks.” All of this completely and totally against his will, and much of it completely and totally illegal.

Update: Since I published this story I have been made aware of another incident of illegal anal probes from the same police department. Incredibly, the dog that is being used to sniff out these non-existent drugs isn’t even certified to do so in New Mexico. Read the article here.

More from local news station KOB4:

The incident began January 2, 2013 after David Eckert finished shopping at the Wal-Mart in Deming.  According to a federal lawsuit, Eckert didn’t make a complete stop at a stop sign coming out of the parking lot and was immediately stopped by law enforcement.      

Eckert’s attorney, Shannon Kennedy, said in an interview with KOB that after law enforcement asked him to step out of the vehicle, he appeared to be clenching his buttocks.  Law enforcement thought that was probable cause to suspect that Eckert was hiding narcotics in his anal cavity.  While officers detained Eckert, they secured a search warrant from a judge that allowed for an anal cavity search.  

The lawsuit claims that Deming Police tried taking Eckert to an emergency room in Deming, but a doctor there refused to perform the anal cavity search citing it was “unethical.”

But physicians at the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City agreed to perform the procedure and a few hours later, Eckert was admitted.

A review of Eckert’s medical records, which he released to KOB, and details in the lawsuit show the following happened:

1. Eckert’s abdominal area was x-rayed; no narcotics were found.  

2. Doctors then performed an exam of Eckert’s anus with their fingers; no narcotics were found.

3. Doctors performed a second exam of Eckert’s anus with their fingers; no narcotics were found.  

4. Doctors penetrated Eckert’s anus to insert an enema.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

5. Doctors penetrated Eckert’s anus to insert an enema a second time.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

6. Doctors penetrated Eckert’s anus to insert an enema a third time.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

7. Doctors then x-rayed Eckert again; no narcotics were found.  

8. Doctors prepared Eckert for surgery, sedated him, and then performed a colonoscopy where a scope with a camera was inserted into Eckert’s anus, rectum, colon, and large intestines.  No narcotics were found.  

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