Lately, it is as though critics call “scam” the moment they detect the slightest commonality between a real scam and a promising new idea.  I hope the crypto-community breaks through this icy layer of negativity soon.  Heavy premining and cloning an alt-coin are not necessarily inappropriate.  You have to study the purpose and vision of the project in question.  StartCoin's heavy premine is so obviously necessary to the distribution and success of StartJoin that it should not require explanation.  And if Startcoin is merely a clone of BTC or some alt, it matters not.  StartCoin and StartJoin's niche is clearly not to develop a protocol layer like Mastercoin or Counterparty or to develop some fancy new encryption but rather to develop a financially supportive network and community of enterprising individuals.  Has the once  bright eyed and optimistic crypto community really become so jaded and suspicious?  I suppose it is hard to have trust and hopeful vision when most every market is rigged by governments and banks, when the rule of law is dead, and when bail ins lurk on the horizon like black helicopters preparing to dump a diarrhea of toxic derivative sludge laden with GMO corn niblets onto the populace below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJH7WUo4xzY

watch this video at 8mins ... Actual people are buying start with bitcoin to fund projects in Mexico. People are fudding the shit out of this coin. But Max actually has a working ecosystem in which theres a demand for start. I dont know if its a scam, but im making a lot of money off start right now.

Do the maths dude

Doubling the current difficult would require the additional usage of 26,9565 Bitman S5 ($413 plus PSU plus extras $600) units or their equivalent alternatives.

This would require $161,739,130 this year up front, plus not a single old unit must be decommissioned, however at 44 billion difficulty most of the old 1.2 watt units had to shut off

Therefore, if difficulty doubled, most 1 watt units would have to be shut down and therefore another $161 million would be needed to replace them as well; net $322 million up front costs

Current Bitcoin price $225 makes this level of new investment impossible, because the profits per Bitcoin are insufficient to fund such investments.

Annual production of BTC this year value at current prices (3600 times $225 times 365 days) $295,650,000.

Most Bitcoins are never available to buy, under 30% reach the open Fiat Currency exchanges, which will be under $88,695,000 to fund hardware, labor and electricity costs. Nowhere, near close enough to fund the doubling of network hashpower.

QED. Difficulty will not double this year, but stay under 50 billion difficulty range    

There are cheaper cloud mining options compared to GM. More importantly, there are options where you can not only get cheaper hash but also you can SELL you hash at a specific time period which decreases your ROI significantly.

For example, I can reach 70% of ROI, then sell the rest of my hash and be in profit. All this depends on a lot of variables but I m just pointing it out so you can have an idea how important it is.

GM, if I were you, introducing some form of internal market for selling hash would be my top priority. All this under assumption you are not afraid everyone who currently owns your hash would immediately try to dump it and leave. In this case, you have more important problems.

I've been tracing down scams since getting burned sometime back on bloody Juggalocoin. Scam busting is a crusade of mine. I just escaped Bitswift when it turned out the whole operation was nothing more than a penny stock boiler room operation.  They even admit it somewhere on the main altcoin thread.  Dig about, it is there; I asked them direct.  They might even answer. Well, I put some money into a forensic detective and what does he find? This Startcoin and Bitswift is run by the same group out  of Poughkeepsie New York. Have a care ...

Yes. The software must have built in QR code functionality to present a QR code on the front of the plastic card. Although, a gift style card with just a wallet address is possible ofc.

These are effectively much more durable versions of 'paper wallets'. Production is actually quite time consuming, as the keys must be securely generated and printed in an always 'offline' environment on an individual basis. We are working to provide additional authenticity and certification measures for added security and transparency in this regard.

We would look to create a new crowdfunding pitch for this in the future perhaps.