The Press said QE Infinity, and the People said MARSCOIN

Scenes from Neal Stephensens Snow Crash seem to be less far fetched given the breaking news this week. Vindications for people radicals on both the far left and right, crypto junkies and environmentalists a like.

We had rumours that rogue CIA are still chasing a 300,000 BTC stash from the original Silk road. A post published by none other than "Variety Jones" a key figure and on-going fugitive named in the Ross Ubrich case shows this in detail, adding to the two CIA and DEA officers already convicted of fraud and blackmail, basically  shifty law enforcement.

The gulf stream has stopped! Scientists can confirm that cold water from the north pole is no longer citculating as it has fir thousands of years. Its called the cold spot and it brings up plots from popular apocalypse movies,  trigering a domino effect on the worlds climate. It could be a cold long winter for Britain this year. Al the whilst VW is busted for manipulating the co2 ratings of their cars. After failing to raise interest rates for 7 years the US fed said they want the government to start spending and that there could be QE infinity and zero interest rates forever. Something many people had been predicting and a case for crypto currency.

This may all seem like poetic justice for counterculture this week with but I'm not sure what the cereal shop raid in London is about. Anarchists raid hipsters, what's going on? I feel like I need a poon and a hyper board to get out of here.

The one thing in this weeks storm that is remotely holcim is finding water on Mars! On that note as cryptocultureologist im going to look away from the tabloids buy a bit of marscoin  and see what happens next.

Bankers AML Tie Will Become Their Noose

China, and Bitcoin as a Hedge Against Volatility

Prime Interest news said bitcoin needs to be boring before people will start to believe its money in 2013. At the time that was hard to see happening with all the anti establishment techno utopian ideas and skyrocketing prices. But now, after a crash, banks are all jumping on board, see the list of supporters at chain.com, it's become a crypto anarchists twist of fate. It's beginning to seem like almost all major banks are getting involved in something they once dismissed, taking the "if you can't beat em join em" approach. With the recent so called Chinese crash investors have almost nowhere else left to turn.

People who pay no attention to economics will know that everything is volatile at the moment. Commodities are behaving strangely. Remember when oil was over $100 a barrel. Gold, a traditional hedge against stocks, has dropped. Stocks around the world have collapsed, not just in China. Most investments they are down on the year and fiat currencies are all over the place. Its far from plain sailing and soon someone's going to fall off the ship.

Bitcoin and the value of other major crypto currencies have conversely settled into an even rhythm. The value of a bit is the same as it was a year ago. bitcoin has found an new base at $230. like the $105 floor of 2013 and the $5 of 2012. Crypto investors are beginning to find peace. Volatility ounce touted as a downfall of the currency, is clearly reducing. We can hear the birds singing in the trees.

Now the Yuan drops, now the Yen, Japans credit rating is was downgraded! The US fail to raise their zero interest rate for the 7th year in a row and the world stock market continues to decline. Seriously where the hell would you put your money if you had any? And the pressure is on if you're one of those mega one percent'ers driving a Maserati in China.

Commodity prices are finally starting to show signs of recovery. However they rely on the Chinese economy for demand and victim to the claws of the short sell, becoming the global default. These cycles and this market psychology seem far from over. What will the bots do? If you're doing business internationally and if you're actually making stuff then these are trying times. Irregularities in commodity prices seem less severe when compared to bitcoin. However charts on useful things like gold and silver start to make more sense when measured against bitcoin. This combined with easy international transfers make for an ideal tool for factories in China selling widgets direct to the world. Maybe the mathematical ether of crypto is the only way to escape.

We are seeing that bitcoin as money become plain and much less socially loaded. Banks getting hold of it will exaggerate this phenomenon That's a win win for holders and early adopters, exciting news for people who are interested in fintech. Its and it does feel like a moral compromise for the "currency of the people". The opportunity for social change and to change the way value impacts our lives with bitcoin is at risk, but the price of the currency is not, it's a Catch 22. There is a circular logic to adoption and mainstreaming, but hopefully it is something cured with time. Crypto currency seems less crazy to our friends against this backdrop.

What the media may have drummed into us is changing. At the moment bitcoin is providing order and direction. Ironically, its computer nerds and crypto anarchists now hold the keys one of the most constant parts of the world economy. Whilst the market crashes in an illogical heap, the bitcoin is unphased. You can feel relaxed with a bitcoin in your pocket. It's a nice little hedge against the global finance complex.

Unlimited Debt "Grebt"

We've all seen the new's, it's pretty undeniable that the economy and the world are out of control, but how do we understand it? Its been happening for decades. People say the same thing about climate change and I think the situations are similar in that it's spiraling out of control. Its a tragedy of the commons, debt is at its core and its rooted in a lack of government transparency. Sounds like the same old story, but these are all things crypto currency is designed to avoid.

With stock prices tumbling our governments considering jumping in to prop them up. This will create even more debt. Where do we stop? It's not like we are getting the money from countries or people that have spare. Every country is now in debt as well as most people. Its never been as global as this. Mars isn't going to give us a loan. Countries can compete with each other and argue about who's allowed the most debt and who's not, but the only back bone is public opinion.

The truth is there is no agreed upper limit to how much debt can be created. This is how debt is becoming unlimited.

So called wealthy countries actually have tend to have more debt than poor countries, even on a per capita basis. Japan is at 240% and the majority of countries are carrying debt. Chile is the only major country that is in significant positive territory. green is a little deceptive on this chart as countries with debt are still shown green, also notice that countries that have actually defaulted are now shown in green eg Russia and Argentina.

Government debt as percentage of GDP globally (September 2012)

Time magazine is now describing a complex "government quality" perception as an indicator. Based on this we tell poorer countries they need to rain in their debt or risk being down graded by the bad name gang, moodies or the poor standard or bitch. This is what we are saying to Greece right now, notice that they are dark red.

Whats stops countries from getting more debt is interest rates. Greece now have to pay 11% for its money where Japan and the USA pay next to nothing. I know i would take out that 0% loan, but paying rates like 11% it really hurts. You have to make smart choices for it to be worthwhile but when you're paying 0% like in japan and the EU, debt becomes irrelevant and unlimited.

You can just go get a plane, pop the ejector seat and watch it crash whilst smoking a cigar in your golden parachute.

Its totally unfair at the moment. The developed world pretend to be the hero "Whenever there's a problem we can just patch it with debt" No big deal for us, its free anyway. Based on the false assumption of our reputation for creditworthiness. The psychology of it is simple.

Why should Americans and Japanese people have to suffer to pay back their debts when the Russians and Argentinians have defaulted on theirs and are doing ok now?

The problem is we know these debt patches don't help us in the long term. At some stage you get worthless money. Over the last 50 years when the world left the gold standard, we have become reliant on dept to boost the economy it has worked but we are finding less and less real gains. Debt eventually stops working, like a drug. At any moment, perceptions can change. Reputation is transient and comparative.

When rates go to zero its very easy to for countries to get leveraged out of control. Credit worthiness is now comparative. We are talking about who is the least bad credit. We are looking now at accepting more debt in developed countries in order to support the stock market after the latest crash. At some point everyone will have what's perceived as to much debt and the lights come on. People will no longer accept it at all as payment.

Bitcoin is not based on debt creation or deception. This is why people are backing crypto currencies in general in the long term. this is seen in the markets during volatile times in the market. If bitcoin is perceived as a safer haven than bonds then government debt rates go up.

This week the EU approved Greece's €86-billion bailout program. Greece having already missed payments dates on payments to the IMF and other creditors was saved by the bell. Curiously however Greece credit rating has gone up.

That's like giving someone who can't pay their debt with out a job in site, a new loan for a third time and then upgrading their credit. It's nice but it doesn't happen in this world.

Below is a chart showing the definitions of credit ratings from agencies in the band relevant to Greece.

		B+	An obligor is MORE VULNERABLE than the obligors rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments.
		B
		B−
		CCC	An obligor is CURRENTLY VULNERABLE, and is dependent upon favourable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitments.
		CC	An obligor is CURRENTLY HIGHLY-VULNERABLE.
		C	The obligor is CURRENTLY HIGHLY-VULNERABLE to nonpayment. May be used where a bankruptcy petition has been filed.
		D	An obligor has failed to pay one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) when it became due.

 
Greece was upgraded from CC to CCC. However the country has actually missed payment dates. Isn't that D? The workings of the rating agencies are mysterious. It's not working like the ratings we get when we forget to pay our credit card bills.

Reserve requirements when lending to countries with rating AA- and above are 0%. This means developed countries can get as much money as they like as debt can be created for them with 0% reserves. The only thing holding that back is interest rates, now we talked about how these where also zero. this is where the you really start to see how unlimited it is.

I'll create as much debt as you like, with 0% reserves backing it up, give it to you and charge no interest for it, just as long as you do the same for me.

Greece in a way is catching onto this concept. given dept is unlimited and they are part of the most powerful AAA rated EU , why would they hold back on spending? The austerity is meaningless, however at some stage the current unlimited dept system will dissolve itself as more and more people realise what it is and take advantage of it.

With dept continuing to grow above 2008 crash levels, we need to rethink our method of tackling the issue. I'm not asking people to buy bitcoin or litecoin. I'm just asking people to think about what fiat is and what debt has become. The debt concept however though it seems complicated is much more simple when you take a step back. Just call it "Grebt".

 

Government grebt as percentage of GDP globally (September 2012)