Coinbase Leads Move to Bring Bitcoin to Masses

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Fred Ehrsam, left, and Brian Armstrong, co-founders of the bitcoin brokerage Coinbase.

Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam certainly look like the kind of guys who could help bitcoin recover from its wild years.

They are tall and textbook fit, and as poised as Swiss bankers -- Vulcan Swiss bankers. Armstrong, 31 and a former software engineer at Airbnb Inc., shaves his head. Ehrsam, 26 and a former foreign-exchange trader at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), keeps his hair short and very much in place. When they discuss bitcoin, they rarely smile. Do not try to make them laugh.

Their seriousness is understandable, Bloomberg Markets magazine will report in its November 2014 issue. Armstrong and Ehrsam are the founders of a startup called Coinbase Inc., whose mission is to convince everyone that bitcoin isnt an Internet scam or a libertarian plot against the government or a digital version of goldbuggery, as various skeptics have it. Rather, its the best thing to happen to money since the Lydians started minting coins sometime in the seventh century B.C.

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Coinbase isnt a bank -- technically, its a brokerage -- but in important respects it behaves like one. Customers open accounts, through which they buy bitcoins for dollars. Coinbase holds the bitcoins. Customers spend them using a computer or a smartphone application. Coinbase makes money by charging a 1 percent fee for exchanging dollars and bitcoins. All other transactions are free.

Adam Draper, founder of the accelerator program Boost VC. Draper wants to help launch 100 bitcoin-focused companies. Close

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Adam Draper, founder of the accelerator program Boost VC. Draper wants to help launch 100 bitcoin-focused companies.

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Coinbase Leads Move to Bring Bitcoin to Masses

Whats a Bitcoin Look Like? Popular Photograph Has Story

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Bitcoin is digital, yet this image showing physical bitcoins ranks as the most popular photograph of the virtual currency on Gettyimages.com.

Dollars, euros and pounds are easy to visualize: Theyre physical objects. Being digital, bitcoins arent tangible -- which has become a boon for George Frey.

Ive sort of cornered the market on bitcoin photos, the Provo, Utahbased photographer says in the November issue of Bloomberg Markets magazine.

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Indeed, dozens of media outlets, including Bloomberg News, have published Freys pictures. The image used here -- dated April 26, 2013 -- happens to rank as the most popular bitcoin photograph on Gettyimages.com. But if a bitcoin isnt a physical object, what exactly are we looking at in Freys photographs?

Theyre called Casascius bitcoins, and they were minted, in a variety of metals, by software engineer Mike Caldwell at his home in Sandy, Utah. An early bitcoin adopter, Caldwell wanted to help popularize the cryptocurrency -- but he, too, grappled with its intangibility.

No one is going to get this if I cant show them something, Caldwell remembers thinking.

So in September 2011, he began making physical coins as vessels. Inside of each, he embedded a piece of paper that contained a bitcoin private key, which he protected with a tamper-resistant hologram sticker. As for the word casascius, it was half acronym (derived from the phrase call a spade a spade), half Latin-sounding suffix (cius).

As of Nov. 27, 2013, however, Caldwell no longer includes digital bitcoins in his physical bitcoins. A letter from the U.S. Treasury Departments Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, stopped him in his tracks: FinCEN considered his activity to be money transmitting and informed him that he lacked the necessary license.

Since then, Caldwell has sold only aluminum promo coins via his website, Casascius.com. A bag of 500 costs 0.39 bitcoin -- about $150, as of yesterday. All told, Caldwell minted about 60,000 Casascius bitcoins. Bitcoin enthusiasts consider them collectibles -- especially the earliest ones, which have fetched as much as $2,500 each on EBay because of a typo in the hologram.

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Whats a Bitcoin Look Like? Popular Photograph Has Story

Bitcoin converter Circle opens to the public worldwide

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The company's service allows consumers to swap established currencies for the digital kind without the speculating inherent in trading exchanges.

Bitcoin

Circle, a startup focused on enabling average folks to convert hard currencies into the digital kind, has officially launched across the globe.

The Bitcoin-focused service, which was available only in testing over the past year, is now open to the public worldwide in seven languages, including English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish, Circle announced Monday. The company's language support means it can accommodate 40 percent of the world's population, Circle said.

Circle was founded in 2013 and emerged from stealth mode earlier this year. Its service is designed to offer the average consumer confidence in the Bitcoin platform. Circle argues that its service will be the first to make Bitcoin mainstream.

"Our goal is to make it easy for consumers to deposit and convert currency into a digital form that they can then use globally and instantly, not offer a trading exchange where they can bet on a speculative asset," Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire wrote in a blog post earlier this year.

The fact that Circle is not a trading exchange is what sets it apart from many other Bitcoin services on the Web. Circle does not operate by offering users the option to buy into the cryptocurrency at a specific rate with hopes of trading it for more. Instead, the company simply provides a service in which users can deposit local currency in return for Bitcoin. Upon withdrawal, Bitcoin is converted to local currency. No fees are incurred for the service.

Circle's launch comes at an important time for Bitcoin. The digital currency has become an acceptable option for payment for online goods on several websites, including tech retailer NewEgg. In addition, some governments are starting to warm to the idea of accepting Bitcoin, with the US Federal Election Commission saying last spring that it would allow political action committees to accept donations in Bitcoin. Still, there is no official government consensus on Bitcoin. The US Securities and Exchange Commission has said consumers shouldn't be so quick to trust Bitcoin.

There's also the issue of Mt. Gox. Last year, the exchange, which was the world's largest at the time, was hacked, allowing attackers to steal hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin. Most of that has not been recovered and many users were burned by the hack.

In addition to announcing the international launch, Circle is trying to allay some security fears by offering insurance. In the event of theft, 100 percent of a user's Bitcoin deposit value will be covered by the insurance.

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Bitcoin converter Circle opens to the public worldwide

Bitcoin Looks More Like A "Real" Currency Every Day

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Opponents of Bitcoin, including governments, both Federal and State here in the U.S., and national governments elsewhere, face a dilemma. They disparage the crypto-currency by claiming that it is not a currency at all, just some artificial creation without worth, but this assertion presents them with a problem. If Bitcoin is not a currency and has no intrinsic value, how do you regulate it and, more tellingly, how do you enforce those regulations?

I discussed last week why I believe attempts to ban virtual currencies are not just fundamentally mistaken but also futile. That leaves governments in a situation of having to regulate the trading and use of them if they are to exert any control whatsoever. I am not one of those who believe that government involvement in anything is intrinsically evil or dangerous, and that any level of control and regulation is therefore, by definition, undesirable. I can accept that the motivation of some may be noble.

The financial world is littered with examples of fraud and theft and governments have a duty to protect, so some legally enshrined protection is probably warranted. That protection can only come, though, once governments make it clear that Bitcoin is a currency, not some crazy speculative game. To be fair, most countries around the world seem to be doing just that. Most of the published verdicts of governments around the world take the form that they do not regard Bitcoin as legal tender, but they recognize its status as a currency. Incidentally, the whole legal tender thing can be misleading to some. That a currency is not legal tender doesnt make it worthless; it simply means that merchants are not obliged to accept it in payment.

In the U.S. there has been little in the way of direct government definition, but the courts are leading the way. Court documents from the recent SEC vs. Trendon Shavers case resulting from a Bitcoin Ponzi scheme included Judge Amos L Mazzants assertion that Bitcoin is a currency or a form of money Apart from the somewhat cynical observation that having its own Ponzi scheme is a definite sign that Bitcoin is gaining ground, this judges assertion and other similar comments from the bench are significant. If courts treat Bitcoin as a currency, then the Federal government has little choice but to follow suit. As more and more countries around the world reach the same conclusion, often no doubt motivated by the desire to tax rather than protect their citizens, it becomes harder for the outliers to deny the legitimacy of Bitcoin.

Governments, then, and even some individuals, are being forced to accept that Bitcoin is, at least, a currency. That process will presumably be expedited by the announcement that Circle, touted as the first Bitcoin bank, is opening up to a global customer base. That is interesting and a banking system adds to the acceptance of crypto-currencies as just currencies, but the real news is that Bitcoin balances will be 100% insured. Some still have doubts about the security of a virtual currency and this re-assurance for them is welcome news.

I have maintained for a while that greater acceptance for Bitcoin is inevitable and that one of the first steps towards that is the general recognition that it is a currency just like any other. Now that it is clear that people can be defrauded of it (and the fraudsters punished) and that governments, bankers and insurance companies can all get in on the action, that recognition is looking closer every day.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

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Bitcoin Looks More Like A "Real" Currency Every Day

Comets host junior jamboree

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The MUCC JuniorComets football team had their day in the sun, so to speak, on Saturday. The comets hosted a junior jamboree, which featured quick games against a variety of opponents. Comets head coach Dave Rogers said the junior program is more than vital to the success of the football program in Melfort and a great learning opportunity for up and coming players. It is really an opportunity for those kids to go in and be the players, to be successful or learn how to be successful in an area where if you screw up and it results in seven points on the board for somebody else nobody is going to be that upset, Rogers said. The program is starting to pay dividends for the Comets in the senior team. The Comets football team that lost the provincial championship in 2011, the team that won the provincial championship in 2012, and the provincial semi-final team last year were all a result of the junior football program. Most of the kids that we see out on the field this year are once again products that have continued to contribute continuously to our success. Between the Junior Jamborees and the Melfort Kinsmen Minor Football League players have developed well and Rogers is pleased to be part of them. He added that voting for the Scotiabank Game Changers Award has started again with Rogers as a finalist. People are encouraged to get online and vote for him to win $25,000 for Melfort Kinsmen Minor Football. That is a great opportunity to bring some more resources to Melfort.

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Comets Open Training Camp at the Aud

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September 29, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL) Utica Comets The Utica Comets, proud American Hockey League affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, have announced their 2014 Training Camp Roster. Training camp opens today at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. Due to on-going construction at The AUD, all training camp sessions will be closed to the public.

The Comets roster consists of 21 forwards, 12 defenseman and four goaltenders:

Forwards (21): Darren Archibald, Carter Bancks*, Matt Caria*, Brandon DeFazio, Dane Fox, Alex Friesen, Brendan Gaunce, Alex Greiner, Wacey Hamilton*, Dustin Jeffery, Eric Kattelus*, Patrick Kennedy, Ronald Kennins, Kellan Lain, Stefan Legien*, Alex Mallet, Cam Reid*, Lane Scheidl*, Curtis Valk*, Mike Zalewski, Steve Zalewski*

Defense (12): Peter Andersson, Alex Biega, Jeremie Blain, Ben Blood*, Adam Comrie*, Travis Ehrhardt*, Spencer Humphries*, Kent Huskins, Kane LaFranchise, John Negrin, Bobby Sanguinetti,, Henrik Tommernes,

Goalies (4): Joe Cannata, Tony Capobianco*, Jacob Markstrom, Joel Martin*

*Players listed with an asterisk are attending camp on a tryout.

Utica will hit the road for its first preseason game on Wednesday against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7:05 p.m. The Comets will face the Adirondack Flames in a home-and-home series starting on Friday at Kennedy Arena in Rome, NY.

Individual tickets for all Comets regular season games will go on sale at the Utica Memorial Auditorium box office on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. They will be available online and over the phone through Ticketmaster beginning at 1 p.m. For more information, call 315-790-9070 or visit http://www.uticacomets.com.

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Excitement is Building Up for Utica Comets Second Season

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UTICA, N.Y. -- Hockey season is right around the corner and teams across the country are getting back on the ice. Excitement for the upcoming season is strong in Utica, where the Comets are preparing for their second season.

"Our fans are great, they're second to nobody in the AHL. The atmosphere in this arena is incredible. They're almost like a seventh player on the ice," said Utica Comets Head Coach Travis Green.

As the fans get pumped up for the new season, the Comets organization is also making last minute preparations.

"We're almost done with some of our renovations. We added a suite, we're adding a members' bar and got new lighting so we're almost ready to go. We got a new paint job as well so it's an exciting time at the AUD," said Mark Caswell, the director of communications for the Comets.

There will also be a few changes on the ice. Fans will see some new faces this year. Coaches are expecting about five to seven new players on the Comets.

Jacob Markstrom, is a new goalie for the Comets.

"We have a really good camp in Vancouver and I was impressed by a lot of players. And obviously I said to a couple guys that I believe we can and we will have a really good team down here. So I'm really excited to get it going," said Markstrom.

Coaches said they can already see a positive difference in their team and are optimistic for the upcoming season.

"I know last year for the first 20 games or so we talked about not having a team together that had been together before. And just from day one, just having, I don't know the numbers it feels like 10-15 guys that have been here last year, it's a major difference," said Green.

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Excitement is Building Up for Utica Comets Second Season

Football Comets stay undefeated

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The MUCC Comets defense continued to burn the opposition on Friday as they defeated the Humboldt Mohawks 28-8 in Humboldt. They have been playing really well, lights out defense, said Comets football coach Dave Rogers. The defense held the Mohawks to a single point until less than a minute remaining in the game when Humboldt scored their only touchdown. I cant take away much form the offense as they score enough points to make sure that we win, but defense definitely has been number 1. Te Comets scored on their first possession but then went silent for a while. Rogers said the defense provided the offense with a couple chances to score, but they couldnt capitalize. In the first quarter the Comets were inside the 10-yard line and couldnt score. In the second quarter they were inside the 20-yard line and couldnt score. Rogers said things like that are frustrating. A lot of it is mistakes we made on offense, little mental breakdowns, people not completing their routes, he explained. It is things like that which killed drives and took away opportunities for us to put the game out of reach early. He said the team is at the point where those types of things shouldnt happen, but they do. He said even the professionals make mistakes. If you watched the Rider game on the weekend you watched the pros play way worse than we ever have. And they get paid to do it for a living. These mistakes will be worked on all week and preparations will be made to host the Nipawin Bears on Friday. Rogers said the Comets have to be prepared for any opponent at any time. Like everyone else, they like to play physical football. They are well coached and we have to be ready to play football. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. at MUCC field greg.wiseman@sunmedia.ca @melfortjournal

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Football Comets stay undefeated

Ask Dr. Bob: Psoriasis, Candida, Post Brain Tumor & Iodine, Grinding Teeth & More – Video

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Ask Dr. Bob: Psoriasis, Candida, Post Brain Tumor Iodine, Grinding Teeth More
Do you know what you can do if you grind your teeth at night? Dr. Bob shares his protocol, plus answers your questions on how to help psoriasis, candida, vit...

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Ask Dr. Bob: Psoriasis, Candida, Post Brain Tumor & Iodine, Grinding Teeth & More - Video

Fox World Travel Announces New Technology Partnership

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Oshkosh, WI (PRWEB) September 30, 2014

Fox World Travel has recently enhanced its partnerships with FlightStats, the premier provider of en route flight status information to travelers worldwide. With information for approximately 99.5% of all domestic flights and 85.6% of all international flights, FlightStats tracks status in real time and messages travelers with updates. They also report on both runway and gate times, provide codeshare mapping and store historic data to calculate on-time performance for flights.

Fox Vice President Lori Meress commented, "At a time when flight interruptions are prevalent, we are pleased to expand our partnership with this supplier of critical data for travelers."

Fox World Travel, Inc. is a leading provider of travel management services, helping organizations succeed in building policies, compliance and financial advantages into their domestic and global travel programs. In addition to their Business Travel Division, they offer a variety of travel planning services through their Vacation Travel Division and Premier Meetings and Incentives.

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SiteMinder pioneers new two-way XML integration with Chinas leading online travel service provider, Ctrip

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One of the world's leading providers of online distribution technology, SiteMinder, has today announced a strategic integration partnership with Ctripto secure a pivotal connection for hotels looking to access China's soaring online travel industry. The new two-way integration puts the more than 14,000 hotels using SiteMinder's Room Distribution Exchange (RDX) platform among the first in the world to have direct access to the country's largest online travel booking channel, via its new XML connection.

With sales in China's online travel market hitting nearly US$10 billion for the second quarter of 2014[1] a year-on-year increase of 17.1% the hotels are also in an optimal position to directly tap into the booming travel market in China.

"We are very happy to partner with SiteMinder, a company that is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and respected in online distribution," says Ms Maria Sun, CEO of Hotel Business Unit & SVP of Ctrip.

"This integration will allow hotels around the world to directly access the Ctrip platform and its enormous booking potential, while also capitalizing on the robust connectivity between SiteMinder and Ctrip.

"As China's market continues to consume travel in a number of ways the number of accumulated downloads for Ctrip's MobileApp, alone, has now reached 200 million and continues rapid growth it is crucial that hotels are front and center for the Chinese traveler. Via Ctrip, hotels that use SiteMinder products to distribute to Ctrip can now achieve exactly that."

With approximately 80 percent of Ctrip's total transactions booked online or through mobile channels during the second quarter of 2014, SiteMinder's Co-Founder and CEO, Mr Mike Ford, says he is delighted about the integration partnership and welcomes its role in Ctrip's strategy for international growth.

"RDX powers more than 60 channel management solutions worldwide, including SiteMinder's own offering, The Channel Manager. This connection with Ctrip is therefore exceptionally exciting for our hotel clients, as they can now leverage this opportunity to attract new guests from anywhere in the world," Mr Ford says.

"China's online travel revenue is estimated to reach around US$75 billion by 2017[2] and, with online users continuing to increase in the country, SiteMinder is very excited about discovering the potential this partnership with Ctrip will have for our hotels."

[1]"China OTA market transactions close to $10 billion in Q2 2014", 4 August 2014, China Internet Watch

[2]"China Online Travel GMV 2011-2017", January 2014, iResearch

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SiteMinder pioneers new two-way XML integration with Chinas leading online travel service provider, Ctrip