Hi there,

Both the seller and I want to cancel the deal.  I have already funded the escrow, but he did not make the cash deposit to my bank since he did not have enough cash on hand.  How do we go forward and cancel the deal?

Mark

Ok all, if you could please comment on how this short "Bio" can be improved or altered please let me know!  I really want to present bitcoin as a credible, viable tool for small business owners and persons.  I need to send it to the printer today.  As a reminder, this is what will appear in our weekly newsletter that is placed at each person's seat before lunch.

Mark Russell is a hobbyist trader in the emerging, web currency called Bitcoin.  Mark has been involved and active with the Bitcoin markets since early 2011.  He believes Bitcoin will be the most disruptive digital commerce technology his our generation will ever see.  in the area of digital commerce.  

Bitcoin is a non-political, online, digital currency that is brought into existence at a fixed and predictable rate.  A limited number of them will be issued and then no more.  This means that unlike traditional fiat currencies which are created by central banks and governments, the value of Bitcoin cannot be destroyed by inflation, nor can it be physically confiscated.  There is no entity or group of persons which have rights or title to Bitcoin; there is not a no Bitcoin building nor is there a Bitcoin corporation.  Bitcoins are secured by advanced mathematical algorithms that prevent counterfeiting.  

These features mean that any business can accept payment from a customer across the globe at a zero cost less than a penny without having to rely on a 3rd party payment processor.  In November of 2012, Bitcoin made headlines across the web after the world’s 20th largest website, Wordpress, began to receive Bitcoins as payment.  Several months ago Iranians began to flock to Bitcoin as the value of their currency went into total free fall.  

Bitcoins may be used to purchase anything from flat screen televisions, to music, to webhosting, or pizza.  Any person with a smartphone or computer can send and receive Bitcoin without needing to trust a 3rd party such as a bank or credit card company.  In this sense, Bitcoin is purely democratic.  This “spread out” of or “decentralized” nature of Bitcoin makes it indestructible by governments or Federal banking intervention.  

In Las Vegas already, there are auto mechanics, realtors, handy men, hospitality services, and other successful business businesses that accept Bitcoin.  Companies such as these have the option to use local exchangers or online services to convert their Bitcoin to USD. Or, many choose to hold them as a store of value.  As Bitcoin continues to be adopted, it will be seen as a currency in its own right against which all other currencies will be measured measure their value.  At the time of this writing, 1 Bitcoin is equal to appx approximately 23 US Dollars.  

To learn more about Bitcoin or to start receiving and sending them, visit blockchain.info or coinbase.com

i have to say i see it quite differently.

i think it was a very poor talk.  all she did was give a superficial historical review with a heavy slant towards the negative events over the last year including her own mishap with MyBitcoin.  she showed no understanding of the economics behind why Bitcoin was created or how it fits into the financial crisis of the last 4 years.  she even had the gall to say she understood Bitcoin better than most ppl in a previous video interview with that other supposed financial expert who's name escapes me.  David Birch.

its high time we get someone who is articulate and has a deep understanding of the corrupt financial world into which Bitcoin is trying to insert a viable solution.  

if i were to give a talk on Bitcoin i would spend 75% of the talk emphasizing the mess we're in with central banks printing money all over the world in an attempt to stop the debt deleveraging deflationary spiral.  i would throw up pictures of M2 and debt/GDP ratio and how they started their upward parabolic moves in the 1970's when we went off the gold standard.  i would then throw up a graph of the asymptotic Bitcoin issuance curve contrasting their shapes.  i would talk about how gold has always been real money backing fiat paper and how Bitcoin is digital gold.  i would put up a 100 yr graph of the declining value of the USD and overlay that on top of the Dow and debt levels.  i would throw up a non log graph of the last 100 yrs in the Dow and show how we have peaked and are in a frightening massive head and shoulders formation over the last 12 years with a projected line straight down the shoot over the next decade.  i would throw up a graph showing how Obama has doubled the national debt in just 3 yrs.  i would throw up a graph of declining housing prices and how this correlates with decreasing household wealth.  i would go over the 2007-08 crisis and how it began and why.  i would explain how Geithner, Bernanke and Hank Paulson broke the rule of law and bailed out crony banking institutions and AIG.  i would emphasize that not one banker who caused this whole mess has gone to prison.  i would explain that 0.01% of the US population owns a counterfeiting ring that only they can tap into and every USD they print devalues the other 99.99% of the populations's USD's.  i would throw up a graph showing why this very phenomenon has resulted in the tremendous wealth disparity of these ppl to the rest of us.  i would go over the European sovereign debt issue and explain that banks all over the world dumped their bad debts onto gov'ts and are pushing them into default as we speak.  

for the rest of the 25% talk i would only insert the basics of Bitcoin into key selected points staying away from the technical side and showing just why Bitcoin would solve a particular problem.

this is just off the top of my head.  sorry for the rant but listening to her made me puke.

bitrebel:  congrats on your efforts to spread the word.  you know i'm a fan of yours right?  but i have a few suggestions the next time you appear on Alex's show.

1.  don't talk about mining.  its confusing.
2.  don't talk about the blockchain.  its even more confusing.
3.  say that bitcoin is "digital gold".  that'll definitely make them sit up.
4.  say that only a fixed number will be issued and then NO MORE.
5.  say that since its digital it can be instantaneously transported across borders w/o detection.  they'll immediately realize the implications of this.
6.  don't say anything about "cryptocurrency" or "cryptography".  this makes it sound like bitcoin is trying to hide something along the likes of Silk Road and other illegal activities.
7.  say that bitcoins are secured by "advanced mathematical algorithms" that prevent counterfeiting.  sounds impressive.
8.  try to avoid saying anything about Satoshi since an unknown character brings to mind a shady type character or hidden agenda.
9.  do explain that the decentralized or "spread out" nature of bitcoin computers makes it indestructable to gov't or Fed intervention.    they'll like that.
10.  when they ask what its denominated in say that bitcoin is a currency UNTO ITSELF and "floats" in value against other fiat currencies like the USD but bitcoin is in fact NOT a fiat currency.  you might mention that you think that bitcoin will become the gold std against which all other currencies will be measured.
11. i wouldn't recommend newbies go to forum.bitcoin.org especially with all the trolls we've been getting there recently.  the best place for them to go to learn about bitcoin is bitcoin.org which explains all the facts and has references.

love ya man.