

Hal Finney: Bitcoin and me - bcl
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=155054.msg1643833#msg1643833

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WalterBright
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.

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phillmv
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/?...](http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jan/14/night/?pagination=false)

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shredfvz
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.

~~~
jQueryIsAwesome
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.

~~~
illuminate
[http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/marij...](http://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/marijuana-
cancer-what-facts-smoke/)

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

~~~
shredfvz
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...](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwBs_ihArc1lCYDym-
DH4EsDMR_UMTtA6)

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

~~~
illuminate
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.

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

~~~
dmix
This comment is inflammatory.

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

~~~
antiscam
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.

~~~
Androsynth
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

~~~
antiscam
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.)

