Network Archives

To those who say ‘trust the government’: Remember J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI?

"Hundreds of these sorts of companies have come about in the last few years, operating in close partnerships with the state, yet existing beyond the view of Congress, the media and 'public eyes'. Even in the unlikely instance when their activities come to light, potentially illegal behavior goes unpunished; even calls by congressmen to investigate the sordid Themis conspiracy were ignored by the Department of Justice. This, then, is the environment in which public officials and Beltway insiders like Friedman are asking us to trust the intelligence community and its private partner firms with increasing power over information." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTo those who say ‘trust the government’: Remember J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI?

Airport security boss fired after mass email photo of his genitals

"Gerard Robson was quickly suspended from his job as a project manager at FJC Security, an airport security contractor, after the June 21 mishap, which ocurred while he was trying to document a minor car accident involving a security vehicle. Instead, a picture reportedly showing his genitals, went out to supervisors at both his company and the Port Authority, as well as subordinates. Though Robson immediately sent an apology via email and moved to delete the embarassing photo from computers at his office, FJC barred him from entering the airport and suspended him before terminating him." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAirport security boss fired after mass email photo of his genitals

Activist found not guilty of vandalism for writing with chalk outside Bank of America

"An anti-bank activist who faced more than a decade behind bars for using chalk to voice his protests against Bank of America was found not guilty of vandalism on Monday. A jury found Jeff Olson, 40, not guilty on all charges, according to NBC San Diego. Olson was charged with 13 counts of vandalism by San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith for writing statements such as 'No thanks, big banks' and 'Shame on Bank of America' in front of Bank of America branches last year. Mayor Bob Filner had described the prosecution of Olson as a waste of resources and 'a stupid case.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingActivist found not guilty of vandalism for writing with chalk outside Bank of America

CoinLab: new brands will be built around Bitcoin technology

"One thing humans don't know how to do is shut down peer to peer networks. We don't have the technology. Generally it's the case governments are understanding, but if you start crushing all the good [Bitcoin businesses] you'll push this underground. I see a world in which governments can set the price.You could stop good exchanges, but it would be hard to stop secret ones. It's so fast and so easy to use, the right thing to do is to build a good ecosystem. There may be a country that doesn't want to deal with it, but citizens will keep using it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCoinLab: new brands will be built around Bitcoin technology

Chinese investors go crazy for Bitcoin

"A BTC craze is sweeping China, as hundreds start to invest and trade large amounts of the virtual currency Bitcoin. The craze has given birth to a huge industrial chain, covering trading, mining, chip production and mining-machine assembly. Bitcoin transactions are secured by servers called bitcoin miners but based on the huge surge in demand for the currency, Bitcoin mining machines are in short supply. According to Tencent, there are two Chinese mining teams capable of processing large amounts of Bitcoin transactions. Figures show that China now boasts the most number of BTC nodes, which help control the computing power of the Bitcoin netweek, at 85,220." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese investors go crazy for Bitcoin

Bitcoinlandia: Where Mythical Investment Grand Slams Are Reality

"For an investor or speculator a 100x return is oftentimes the stuff of legends. Sure, you can get lucky once and maybe even twice. But with the arrival of Bitcoin four years ago a new category of currency was created. And like Babe Ruth ‘calling the shot’ I am finding these investment grand slams are getting more common. The rate at which capital is being created, generated and transferred is astounding. While some people, like Chris Duane, whine about it the wise are knocking in runs to tally points on the scoreboard. So, roll the Q1 and Q2 2013 replays!" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBitcoinlandia: Where Mythical Investment Grand Slams Are Reality

Bitcoin: how I made a virtual fortune

"I think I probably got the IPO price a bit wrong since the 20,000 shares I listed sold out in a matter of hours. We raised a total of 15,667 Litecoins in exchange for 20% of CipherMine's shares; about £27,700 at current prices. We are in the process of investing that money into more mining hardware, but in the meantime, our share price has continued to rise. As I write this, under a week later, the shares are being actively traded at about 1.6 Litecoins each; double the IPO value. CipherMine's market capitalisation currently stands at roughly 150,000 Litecoins, or about £250,000, of which 64% was mine at IPO." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBitcoin: how I made a virtual fortune

Winklevoss Twins File to Launch Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Product

"Here’s one of the more interesting S-1 filings of the year. In a filing with the SEC, the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, headed by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, said it will sell around $20 million worth of shares, which will each represent a fraction of a single bitcoin, the digital currency the twins have invested in. Bitcoin has become the best known virtual currencies since its release in 2009. The currency was created by a person or group known as Satoshi Nakamoto (whose true identity is unknown) and is primarily used by online merchants, though some mostly smaller brick-and-mortar retailers have recently begun to accept bitcoins for payment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWinklevoss Twins File to Launch Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Product

Intersecting Currents of Change

"Our era is characterized by two considerably overlapping contradictions or fracture points. First, we’re in the early stages of historic transition from a social organization dominated by large, centralized, hierarchical institutions like corporations and nation-states, to a world of small, self-governing units connected together horizontally through networks. Things get interesting when the first contradiction (between the old hierarchies and the self-organized networks which are supplanting them) is reinforced by the contradiction between the World Hegemon and dissident states or rival coalitions of states." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIntersecting Currents of Change

Chinese spacecraft completes space-docking mission

"The successful manoeuvre was China’s first ever such test, the report said, and it marks a step towards China’s goal of building a permanent manned space station by 2020. China first sent a human into space only in 2003 and its capabilities still lag behind the US and Russia. But its programme is highly ambitious and includes plans to land a man on the moon. Beijing sees its multi-billion-dollar space programme as a symbol of its rising global stature, growing technical expertise, and the Communist Party’s success in turning around the fortunes of the once poverty-stricken nation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChinese spacecraft completes space-docking mission