Isn’t XRP just trying to be the world central bank, where as they control the flow of currency in and out of the economy, and reward there friends with new releases of it before the common people get it and it’s value is diminished by then.

I was concerned that Trump did not really understand Bitcoin. Now confirmed! What the F Trump wants to place tarrifs on Bitcoin mined in other countries.

Does anybody else think Trump will support Ripple, but side step on Bitcoin?

If you, or your group are not paying attention, then the persons that you put in charge of important matters will eventually make decisions that are in their own self interest. It will even attract bad actors to those positions for self enrichment. If you create an environment where those put in charge of important decisions are quickly exposed of any wrong doings, then those persons will tend to make selfless decisions for the good of the community. Americans have not been paying attention. Now, social media platforms, especially decentralized ones, have the power to expose the wrong doers very quickly. Causing the public to quickly rise up and punish the wrong doers. This will set up for persons with good intentions to seek out the positions of public trust. You must speak up, if you think something is wrong, even if you might be wrong. The public will quickly verify or dismiss your concerns.

Kind of wondering if an outgoing president will do things in his last days in office to sabotage the incoming president. Seams in 2 party system with different ideologies, that this might be standard operating procedure.

It’s not difficult to understand that some believe Bitcoin to be some kind of Ponzi scheme. Yes, too few people that got in early and or Whales control too large a percent of all available. And some may feel that the early in will cash out and leave the late comers holding a worthless bag. That’s how Ponzi schemes work. At this time, due to the tax implications, most will hodl, down on this asset. That’s not the ideal use case for it. Holding it does nothing to prove its real value. Its worldwide permission-less, unhackable distribution is its true strength. As soon as it is excepted as a payment system, that is not taxed like a commodity or security, then it will start to flow freely into the wallets of everyday users, whom will use it in there everyday life. The idea that it might be a Ponzi will disappear, and give way to the fact that in this internet age, it’s the best money ever conceived of.

Looks to me like with rule changes that may be coming to how we will be reporting our Bitcoin to the IRS that we may not need to report person to person, and person to business transactions if it does not involve the purchase of Real Estate or Securities. We will be incentivized to keep Bitcoin off exchanges to avoid capital gains taxes. I was out at one of my favorite pubs last night and got into a conversation with the owner regarding his problems with taking credit card payments. He has found himself needing to add 3.5% to customer bills who use credit cards to purchase. I’ve been seeing a lot of this lately. Even the gas stations are giving a better price to cash paying customers. The pub owner also tells me that he has to wait for the Credit card company to send him his money. Sometimes up to a month wait. In addition, his staffs tips on credit cards are delayed to end of week or more, and are added to their regular payroll check. Of course, taxes and all the other stuff taken out before receipt. This brings me to the point of this conversation. Bitcoin is now more than ever an answer to this problem. This pub owner could accept Bitcoin on the lightning network, and avoid all of this nonsense. You could even tip the staff separately, and they would have their tip instantly. There was a guy playing his guitar in the corner, and he was collecting some cash tips. I don’t really carry much cash with me anymore. There are others same as I. You want to tip that guy in the corner playing his instrument, and you don’t have any cash. Bitcoin is the answer. Merchants can talk to Strike or CashApp about converting Bitcoin payments back to USD to pay their vendors, or Bills. It’s time to get out there in our neighborhoods and promote this. Take your paycheck in Bitcoin, or convert it to Bitcoin immediately. At least some of it. Get out there and spend it with these merchants that sign on to accept this. This is the kind of adoption that Bitcoin was created for. It was not meant to be a get rich quick scheme that Wall Street could take over.

Dining with Grandma.

What impresses me, is how Bitcoin is taking over the world in a peaceful, patient and meaningful way. It’s distributed freely and fairly worldwide. With the Lightning layer network, it’s transferable world wide as fast or faster than the credit card networks, with less cost. People across the world can freely decide for themselves if they do, or do not want to accept it as payment for their product or services. This is the way it’s meant to be. Build upon it, and make it better and the people will gravitate to it naturally. I’m hearing people say that it’s only for the tech savvy. But the tech savvy are fully aware that they need to make it so easy to use, that the people will find it even easier to use than handing over a piece of paper and receiving change back in return.

Apparently Blackrock put it out there that Bitcoins 21 million could one day be changed. That’s not a lie. Satoshi left us a way to change protocol with BIPs. However it’s not Blackrock who gets to decide. It’s the whole community, and the longest chain wins always. As long as the community does not allow Blackrock or anyone else to take over, then the will of the community will always decide the protocol going forward. That’s only accomplished by people who care taking the initiative to at least run a node, and maybe even a mining rig, regardless if it does not pay to do so. The more the better to beat decentralization.

Bitcoin is like a beach ball being pushed down by a kid in a swimming pool, that is constantly being filled up with a hose. The kid pushes the ball down as far as he can under water, but soon finds he can’t hold it down any longer and it pops way out of the water. The kid will do this several times, because it’s fun. But the ball always pops up again. The fact that the hose is always filling up the pool, each time the ball pops up and drops into the water, it is higher. One day the pool will spill over into the ocean, and the Ball will be set free. This is the day we make bitcoinination.

This has got to change! Burying bills inside of bills in congress to push them thru. Latest is burying a congress pay raise from $174,000 to $243,000/yr. And allowing congressmen to opt out of Obama Care. If it was law to make all new bills submitted in congress digitally available before a vote, then we the people would have the opportunity to speak our mind before it’s signed into law. I picked up this idea from other sources.

I find it incredible that people I talk to know that something is very wrong. The government can print as much money as they want to, they can borrow as much money as they want to, and they can tax as much as they want to. Which in all fuels inflation and keeps everybody on the hamster treadmill tryin to keep up. I offer them the solution to get off, but they tell me it will never work. “The government won’t allow it.” We are the government. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work.

Micro Strategies is showing by example why large corporations, or Wall Street would want to hold Bitcoin on their balance sheet. But, you don’t have to be a large company to benefit from the same principle. Small companies and individuals can also benefit.

Can’t say I’m not disappointed that El Salvador is caving in to the IMF. However, the Bitcoin adoption curve will remain steady and generic. It will not need a government mandate that businesses have to accept Bitcoin. It should be, if they want to accept Bitcoin. And there should be plenty of reasons why they want to. In the mean time, just take example from Strike. Use your favored credit card, and pay it off with Bitcoin from a Strike like account. As time progresses, businesses will see the value of holding Bitcoin in reserve instead of a government issued currency.

Got the invite to BlueSky. Seeing as I like what Jack’s behind, I signed in to it. Went thru a bunch of the suggested Follows. Seemed like a bunch of corporate news media outlets. After seeing the feed, I was not impressed with what it was giving me. Then without having posted anything at all, I received my first follower. Satan! What? Anybody here have any experiences to share on BlueSky yet?