Alternative News

BTCTurk becomes the first Turkish lira-to-bitcoin exchange

"We’ve recently reported the rise of bitcoin in Iran, Afghanistan and Israel, but now another country has jumped on the digital currency bandwagon – Turkey. BTCTurk launched earlier this month, becoming the first company to enable the exchange of Turkish lira for bitcoin and vice versa. Emre Kenci, CTO of BTCTurk, said he and his colleagues started to develop the company in January 2013 having watched interest in bitcoin increase across the globe. Kenci said there are currently no laws in Turkey that specifically regulate bitcoin, but BTCTurk operates to the same know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering policies that are compulsory for banks in the country." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBTCTurk becomes the first Turkish lira-to-bitcoin exchange

The Cloud Belongs to the NSA

"The market is already providing some safer alternatives. SpiderOak, a secure cloud storage company, has seen its rate of sign-ups nearly triple over the past month. SpiderOak says even its engineers are unable to decrypt your personal data, so it is stored safely, according to CSO Online. Many of these are startups or crowdfunded experiments and may be worth keeping an eye on. Apple is expected to announce improvements to its iCloud service soon. How larger companies deal with this may affect markets in interesting ways." Continue reading →

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Three Telling Stories, One Disruptive Company

"FreedomPop is different. It’s aimed at providing wireless Internet access for free. More specifically, its so-called Freemium service gives consumers the first 500 MB free. Once you have the physical product, there are no contracts and no bills. It’s just free. You can use it to turn your iPod into an iPhone or facetime by setting up an internet hot spot… for free. All you need to sign up is get a 4G USB stick, or a variety of other hardware pieces, and you can set up your own hotspot wherever you go. No more Comcast… or hammers. Within the next few months, FreedomPop will begin selling refurbished phones." Continue reading →

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Surgical delays cost Canadians nearly $1 billion in lost time in 2012

"Long waits for surgery and medical treatment in 2012 cost Canadians more than $982 million in lost time and productivity, concludes a new report from the Fraser Institute. The study calculates that the average value of time lost during the work week was $1,129 for each of the estimated 870,462 patients waiting for surgery last year. Using data from the Fraser Institute’s annual survey of health care wait times (which found that Canadians waited 9.3 weeks, on average, from an appointment with a specialist to receiving treatment in 2012), the report estimates that patients across Canada waited a combined 10.6 million weeks for treatment last year." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSurgical delays cost Canadians nearly $1 billion in lost time in 2012

10 Ways to Commit Nutritional Anarchy

"The most important thing we can do for our health right now is to learn about nature’s vitamins in preparation for the day that choosing our own supplements is against the law. For example, did you know that a cup of rose hip tea contains staggeringly high amounts of Vitamin C? Or that a cup of dandelion greens contains three times the RDA for Vitamin A? If nutrition becomes regulated by a bunch of bureaucrats who, at best, don’t really care about people, and at worst, hope to depopulate the globe, you must have the plans and weapons in place to live a life of nutritional anarchy." Continue reading →

Continue Reading10 Ways to Commit Nutritional Anarchy

Chickenpox (Varicella) Vaccine: This Is Why a Shingles Epidemic is Bolting Straight at the U.S.

"Shingles can be prevented by ordinary contact, such as receiving a hug from a grandchild who is getting or recovering from the chickenpox. But with the advent of the chickenpox vaccine, there is less chickenpox around to provide that natural immune boost for children AND adults. So as chickenpox rates have declined, shingles rates have begun to rise, and there is mounting evidence that an epidemic of shingles is developing in America from the mass, mandatory use of the chickenpox vaccine by all children." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChickenpox (Varicella) Vaccine: This Is Why a Shingles Epidemic is Bolting Straight at the U.S.

Arizona Man Holding Air Rifle Killed In His Own Backyard In Drug Raid

"Tempe, Arizona, police in the Special Investigations/Narcotics Unit serving a drug search warrant Wednesday afternoon shot and killed a man in his backyard as he held an air rifle. John Wheelihan, 43, becomes the 22nd person to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year, and the sixth in the last month. The victim appears to be a local photographer whose listed business address matches the address the police raided. Police did not say whether they were serving a 'no-knock' warrant, whether they were uniformed or undercover, or whether any drugs were discovered." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArizona Man Holding Air Rifle Killed In His Own Backyard In Drug Raid

Uruguay House Barely Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

"The bill passed on a vote of 50-46 after nearly 12 hours of debate. Under the bill, the Uruguayan government would license producers, sellers, and consumers. Smokers would be limited to buying 40 grams a month. Unlicensed possession, cultivation, or sales would be criminal offenses, including prison time in some cases. Registered users would be able to grow up to six plants, join a marijuana-growing collective, or purchase marijuana at a dispensary or pharmacy. President Jose Mujica has been pushing the bill as a means of attacking black markets and organized crime by creating a legal, licensed marijuana marketplace." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUruguay House Barely Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

Chart Of The Day: Foreigners Are Quietly Getting Out Of Dodge

"While the Fed is posturing daily whether it will or it won't monetize an ever greater portion of gross US issuance (and considering the drop in US funding needs, unless the Fed tapers it will soon very soon buy more than 100% of all 10 Year equivalent issuance going forward), foreigners have made their position vis-a-vis US paper loud and clear. What is their position? The following chart from today's TBAC presentation to the Treasury makes it very clear. With an ever declining, and recently the smallest on file, notional amount of Treasurys at auction going to foreigners since 2009 (and certainly much further back), they are not sticking around to see what happens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingChart Of The Day: Foreigners Are Quietly Getting Out Of Dodge

Obama quietly pushes forward with anti-suburban campaign

"Plan Bay Area attempts to block the development of any new suburbs, forcing all population growth over the next three decades into the existing 'urban footprint' of the region. The plan presses 70-80 percent of all new housing and 66 percent of all business expansion into 150 or so 'priority development areas' (PDAs), select neighborhoods near subway stations and other public transportation facilities. This scheme will turn up to a quarter of the region’s existing neighborhoods–many now dotted with San Francisco’s famously picturesque, Victorian-style single-family homes–into mini-Manhattans jammed with high-rises and tiny apartments." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama quietly pushes forward with anti-suburban campaign