Monthly Archives: July 2013

Vietnamese boat people return as entrepreneurs [2003]

"Once the world knew them as boat people, some 2 million Vietnamese who fled the communist regime in their country, most of them in rickety vessels, paying for their perilous passages with hoarded family gold. Their traumatic odysseys at sea, where they were targeted by pirates and other bandits, made dramatic news for years. Most boat people found a home in the West; 1 million settled in the United States. Now, thousands of those who fled after the Vietnam War ended in 1975 have been drifting back to Vietnam as Viet-kieu (overseas Vietnamese), bringing entrepreneurial know-how, foreign passports and ambition." Continue reading →

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The Gold Roller Coaster

"About a year ago, we began to advise readers that we are in for the economic roller coaster ride of the century and that gold will be on that roller coaster. Those who are on the ride will need to keep their nerve – to remember that, as wild as the fluctuations may become, gold is not in the same category as stocks and bonds. It retains value when other more conventional forms of wealth disappear. Its true value to the investor is as an insurance policy – to make sure that if economies collapse, it might still be possible to buy some freedom and put food on the table – to ride out the economic storm." Continue reading →

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Gold! $250K in centuries-old coins found

"The coins, called escudos, were part of the treasure aboard a fleet of 11 Spanish galleons wrecked by a hurricane off the Florida coast on July 31, 1715. It was this famous shipwreck that gave this part of Florida its nickname, The Treasure Coast. The coins appear to be in good condition, and still have some legible dates and markings. The oldest bears the date 1697; the youngest is dated 1714. The 48 coins have an estimated value of $200,000 to $250,000, said Brisben. Perhaps the most surprising thing about the expedition is that the coins were found just 100 feet from the shoreline, in only six feet of water." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin developer Jeff Garzik on altcoins, ASICs and bitcoin usability

"'It took the nations of the Eurozone ten years or so to deploy the Euro, and that was introducing an entirely new currency,' he says. 'We’re trying to do the same thing with bitcoin. We’re trying to roll out a currency from scratch. And as the experience with the Euro showed, it takes an incredible amount of time to change over POS systems and cash registers, to train end of line merchant workers with this new payment system.' Garzik believes that this is just the start. If his vision comes true, then maybe bitcoin could be as big as the Euro. Only, you know, without centralized banking and dysfunctional national economies gumming up the works." Continue reading →

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Federal Reserve studying effect of Paypal and Bitcoin on banking

"The U.S. is studying the potential risk from online payment mechanisms like PayPal and Bitcoin, a top US Federal Reserve official told an international conference on Monday. Some bankers have expressed worries that newer players in the online marketplace could have negative implications for the financial system. 'We have been talking… with banking organisations over the last year or two, trying more carefully to understand what the concerns are with these new payment mechanisms,' Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen said. Some officials fear the virtual currency can be used by criminals or terrorists, or could be vulnerable to hackers." Continue reading →

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Feeding Stray Cats In Philly Town Could Leave You Responsible For Their Health

"A proposed law in a town along the Main Line could punish people who feed stray cats. The new law would dictate if you feed it, you own it. And if you own it, you’re responsible for its vaccinations, says the proposal here in Radnor Township. In introducing the changes to current law here earlier this week, president of Radnor Township’s Board of Commissioners, Elaine Schaeffer says it’s not a feeding ban, instead it’s designed to protect against rabies. 'It requires those who choose to feed feral cats with a very minimum modicum standard of care.' Violation of the ordinance could carry a $300 to $1,000 fine." Continue reading →

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San Francisco requires licensing, insurance for dog walkers

"A series of regulations went into effect earlier this month that will place new restrictions on San Francisco’s professional dog walkers. The new rules require dog walkers to obtain a city-issued permit, puts a limit on the number of dogs that can be walked at a time and requires dog walkers to have any vehicles used to transport dogs to be inspected, approved and carry $1 million in liability insurance." Continue reading →

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Govt wants all cars to track driver behavior, seatbelt usage and more

"Most people are unaware that newer vehicles already contain these event data recorders, which are a continuous feed of information, recorded by sensors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 96 percent of 2013 model cars already house these black boxes. Private security expert Steve Rambam believes law enforcement agencies might seek to cut costs and save resources by monitoring driver data from discreet locations. Law enforcement could monitor people from the comfort of their office, sending tickets to the driver by mail. Old fashioned patrols could evolve into data police centers." Continue reading →

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Ecuador imposes ‘gag order’ on radio and TV stations

"Correa’s party Alianza Pais ruling party, which holds an absolute majority of 100 out of 137 seats in Congress, was easily able to pass the bill despite criticism that it will tighten the state’s control over the media. The law redistributes broadcast media frequencies and licenses, allotting 34 percent to community media and 33 percent to the public sector. The private sector, which currently controls 85.5 percent of radio frequencies and 71 percent of television frequencies, will be confined to the remaining 33 percent. Correa, a populist in the mold of the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, has long clashed with private media." Continue reading →

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NSA, the secret AT&T spy room, and 2 Israeli companies

"In James Bamford’s 2008 interview, he mentions two Israeli companies, Narus and Verint, that almost nobody knew about. They played a key role in developing and selling the technology that allowed NSA to deploy its PRISM spying program. It’s obvious that these two Israeli companies, Narus and Verint, working for NSA, have been able to divert duplicate mega-tons of data to Israeli intelligence. The government-corporate juggernaut moves ahead. Their rationale—catching terrorists—is, in great part, a cover story to obscure the fact that the State wants control over the lives of all citizens, as it ratchets up the very conditions that provoke rebellion." Continue reading →

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