Author: cvramen

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Pokebit Operations Suspended

I’ve been happy to talk about Pokebit, my not-for-profit enterprise that offered the lowest prices on all Pokémon Trading Card Game and Magic the Gathering products and only accepted Bitcoin as payment.
I suspended operations this month.

There were some things on my to-do list, including getting a better CMS (I was using WooCommerce, with some custom plugins that did not receive updates to keep pace with WooCommerce), changing the presentation of the website to make it more educational (my mission is to teach people about alternative currencies), and, to allow users to pay with one of multiple cryptocurrencies. Perhaps I will address those things in a future effort.

I was very pleased by the people, Pokémon fans, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, and others, who took interest in the website. I was also pleased to know I was funding Sean’s Outpost.

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News Article Application

I got an idea for a new application. It is designed for people who listen to talk radio on their computer or smartphone.

It uses voice recognition on the audio your computer is playing, in order to identify words that are being said.
The application has a database of keywords. When the application detects that one of the keywords has been said, it searches the web for news articles relating to that keyword, and displays previews of those articles to the user.

So, for example, you’re listening to you favorite podcast, and the host says, “helicopter”.
The application acknowledges that a word in the database was said (“helicopter”).
The application searches an archive for articles relating to the word, “helicopter”, and displays headlines or previews of those articles on your screen, with the option for your to click on them, and view the entire article.

Possible additional features:
1. The archive of articles that the app chooses can be the entire world wide web, or articles from a list of websites specifically chosen by the user.
2. The database of keywords that activates the software is customizable and automatically suggests new keywords to the user, based on words other users have added to their own database.
3. To understand currency (relevance), the application pulls articles that are from around the time period the podcast file was published. The date could be established by the “date created” on the .mp3 file or by pulling RSS data.

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Bitcoin Is Good Enough

Bitcoin fulfills the desire for people to have a currency that:
1. Does not rely on the already-established, state-approved financial apparatus.
2. Does not have costs associated with storing physical material.
3. Allows transactions to occur in seconds and to confirm in minutes, rather than days.
4. Is potentially anonymous.
5. Is decentralized.
6. Allows for the creation of applications that interface with an open, accessible data source (like the blockchain) that allow for the automation of otherwise costly services such as: fundraising, contract enforcement, transfer of assets after one’s death, establishing public records of owership, and stock brokerage.

People have demonstrated that they want these things.
So, if Bitcoin is going to lose popularity soon, as many people allege, what’s going to “fill in the gap”? I ask because like to hearing well-though-out alternative points-of-view and it is always preferable to hear concrete suggestions and solutions than complaining… Anyone up for answering this question?

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What To Do With Bitcoin?

What do I do with and regarding Bitcoin?

I run an online retailer that accepts Bitcoin, and offer to help others set up their own store.
I run a facebook and twitter social media campaign in my town to get businesses in my town to accept Bitcoin.
I contact the local media about BTC when appropriate, I send Bitcoin-related fliers. (let me know if you want one, I have plenty to go around!)
I wear Bitcoin shirts in public as conversation starter.
And OF COURSE I accept and spend Bitcoin whenever it is an option. I have hand about 17 face-to-face Bitcoin transactions in the last 7 weeks.

In the past, I have participated in the Bitcoin Weight Loss Challenge in an attempt to draw media attention to Bitcoin. It was a contest among 11 Bitcoin enthusiasts to see who could lose the largest percentage of their weight over the course of 12 weeks. 4 participants pulled out, but among the remaining 7, I got 4th place.

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Hampton Roads Business Journal Bitcoin Article

I was quoted in a news article a few weeks ago.
Getting Bitcoin some attention in the local newspaper.

A Virginia Beach Bitcoin firm is venturing into the Wild West of money

Bitcoin Article

I’m a little put-off by the fact that some people seem ONLY to be interested in talking about Bitcoin as an investment opportunity.

I think that:

  • Folks in draconian countries that must spend money anonymously to receive services their country intends to track or block (like wordpress.com)
  • A poor immigrant who is sending remittance payment to his family in Kenya, where paypal transactions are blocked and Western Union wants to charge obscenely high fees to send money
  • People in the third world with entrepreneurial spirit that want startup investments or IPO to fund their new business from multiple sources, and don’t have the resources to comply with the old way of setting up investments

Will appreciate Bitcoin- just as much as a bunch of rich white guys in the 1st world bragging about their yearly investments going up 10 percent instead of 9 percent.

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Pokémon Fakes Archive: Ninetales

Ninetales
(R)
90 HP
Stage 1
Weakness (W)
Resistance none
Retreat cost (C)

(R) – Quick Shift
For the remainder of the game, any time any of your Pokémon performs an attack, put 1 damage counter on the defending Pokémon. For the remainder of the game, you can’t draw any prizes.

(R)(R) – Dream Up – 50
Reveal your hand to your opponent. Discard an energy card from your hand, if any. The defending Pokémon is now Burned.

… And that is the final entry in my list of fake Pokémon cards! Thanks for reading

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Pokémon Fakes Archive: Vulpix

Vulpx
(R)
60 HP
Basic
Weakness (W)
Resistance none
Retreat cost (C)

(C) – Tail Whap – 10

(R)(C) – Realize – 20
You and your opponent reveal the top 3 cards of your decks. Return the top 3 cards to your opponent’s deck in any order (your opponent does not get to see the order). Your opponent does the same (you do not get to see the order).

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Pokémon Fakes Archive: Vulpix

Vulpx
(R)
60 HP
Basic
Weakness (W)
Resistance none
Retreat cost (C)

(R) – Regulate – 10
If an attack does more than 20 damage during your opponent’s next turn, change the attack’s damage to 40. If an attack does less than 30 damage, change the attack’s damage to 20

(C)(C) – Heat Source – 20

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Pokémon Fakes Archive: Ninetales

Ninetales
(R)
100 HP
Stage 1
Weakness (W)
Resistance none
Retreat cost (C)

(R) – Hubris – 10
Discard a card from your hand. Until the end of your next turn, all players may attach an additional energy card during their turn.

(R)(C) – Fire Cover – 20
Between turns, if this Pokémon is your active Pokémon, put 1 damage counter on the defending Pokémon.

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Pokémon Fakes Archive: Vulpix

Vulpx
(R)
50 HP
Basic
Weakness (W)
Resistance none
Retreat cost (C)

(R) – Justify
Move an Energy card attached to the Defending Pokemon to another of your opponent’s Pokemon.

(C)(C) – Payback – 30
If this Pokémon was damaged last turn, the defending Pokémon is now Burned.

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