Hal Finney: Bitcoin and me | Hacker News Reader

Hal Finney: Bitcoin and me

bitcointalk.org

199 pointsbcl15 comments

Hal was in the same dorm as I was at Caltech, a couple doors down the hall. He's a class act all the way. I've always admired him, and I think about everyone else did, too.

Hal liked to stuff as many freshman as possible into his VW bug and head out for Tommy's at 3AM. I would wind up folded into that cubby behind the back seat.

ALS is the single most terrifying disease in my view. I'm so sorry to hear that.

Tony Judt, a great historian, died of it a couple? of years ago, and he wrote a harrowing tale about it here: http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jan/14/night/?...

Beautiful tale, saddening turn of events. Please consider watching this video: Surviving ALS with Dr. Bob Melamede. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeeVBSERb-c

If I only knew him, I'd make it my mission in life to get Hal some Rick Simpson oil.

Billions of dollars are wasted to fight against a analgesic and therapeutic drug that could help millions; this world haves very dumb and/or corrupted people in charge.

http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/marij...

It's not the cure-all you think it is, regardless of the douchebags in charge.

Really? Have you had extensive, first-hand experience with Rick Simpson oil? Are you prepared to tell me there's zero medicinal benefits to it?

Listen, there's just not going to be scientific proof behind a mostly illegal substance with legions of powerful people incentivized to stop it from growing in popularity. Feel free to evaluate the video testimonials though: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwBs_ihArc1lCYDym-DH4...

Bitcoin shares many similarities with hemp oil, you can always tell the armchair opinions from the guys who actually use it.

I'm saying that there aren't cancer cure-all properties, which is not "zero medicinal benefits". I think medical marijuana has objective benefits. "Big pharm"/"Big cancer" conspiracy theories and the DEA's influence are irrelevant.

I never said "cure-all"... I never even mentioned cancer nor did the people in the video.

Hal is one of the only class acts publicly associated with Bitcoin.

This comment is inflammatory.

Checking your comment history, I agree with this commenters sentiment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5546063

I honestly don't see why. Most of the people involved in the major Bitcoin businesses, or in promoting Bitcoin publicly, are reprobates. Have you spent any time reading bitcointalk.org? Hal is very different from them.

Bitcoin isn't the people promoting it the loudest or a company in need of good PR... it's technology.

I made a similar comment recently: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5535940

ignore them. The vast majority of people, on this board and otherwise, view the attainment of money as the single main goal of their life[1]. If you look at the comments they made towards you, one basically says 'why would you bash bitcoin when you already have mined bitcoins?' as if as long as you already have your stake, theres no moral ambiguities with the situation. Apparently criticism can only come from the "angst, self-hatred, jealousy" of poor people.

Personally I think you have valid criticisms. If I just want to convert dollars to btc and vice versa, why do I care what chain I am on? Bitcoin is just a brand, but the technology can be forked and new chains can be created. Granted you wont have a convenient exchange to use, but do you really think a Mexican druglord is going to transfer billions of dollars to you through mt gox for btc?

Perhaps the govt never stepped in to curtail bitcoin because they realized that speculation and greed would ruin this chain (and then possibly be in position to influence the next chain).

The tech is great but the pyramid scheme implementation is a critical flaw. Does anyone believe that the intrinsic value of having an alternative currency like btc outweighs the money being made by the prospectors?

[1] im libertarian, btw

Thanks. Good perspective.

(I also get the reference in your username, btw. I don't know if it's obscure or not, but I don't see it often.)

> Perhaps the govt never stepped in to curtail bitcoin because they realized that speculation and greed would ruin this chain (and then possibly be in position to influence the next chain).

I'd bet this is one of those situations where it's better to assume human ignorance than conspiracy in the context of government.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com