by Ian | Nov 9, 2015 |
Keene’s Bitcoin Vending Machine
In April of 2015, the Keene machine was upgraded to the Lamassu brand Bitcoin Vending Machine. Lamassu is based in the Shire and run by Free State Project early movers. The original unit, the Skyhook brand, is used for special events.
Now, I’m happy to announce we have passed the one year mark of having a publicly-accessible BVM operating in Keene!
Our customers range from young to old from all across the Northeast, because sadly, the Keene BVM is the only publicly accessible BVM (or ATM) in all of ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI, and Upstate NY. New York, the Empire State, has cracked down on the bitcoin industry there, resulting Albany and Buffalo losing their machines in 2015 and for some reason all the units listed on the Coin ATM Radar site for Boston are shut off or gone (at least that’s what the customers who drive to Keene from Boston have told us.) Hopefully this will change, as not everyone is willing to drive for hours to purchase bitcoin.
It’s important to note that the Keene Bitcoin Vending Machine is not an ATM, though many confuse the two terms. The machine vends bitcoins for cash. It does not do the reverse. The machine is stocked with bitcoin (click to see our wallet’s status and all transactions) and sells from that stock. The BVM is not making buys on an exchange. Machines that do that have ridiculous identification requirements. Your bitcoin is your business and as a customer of the church, your privacy is respected. (While our machine does not require identification, there are security cameras monitoring the store premises.)
Come on out to the store and try the machine at 661 Marlboro Street (Route 101) in Keene, six days per week. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10a-6p and Sunday 11a-5p.
by Ian | Oct 31, 2015 |
Keene’s Fall Colors, as of Friday!
The first day of this third-annual event kicked off with the first-ever Political Action Panel where panel host Darryl W. Perry and his guests discussed working for political change outside of the two major parties. After that, Cop Blockers from Manchester and Keene took the stage in an informative panel hosted by Keene Cop Block‘s JP Freeman. We broke at noon for lunch, which this year is expanded from 90 minutes to a two-hour block, giving Keeneventioneers more time to explore Keene’s dining experiences and get back to the hotel with time to spare.
The 2015 Bitcoin Panel
Finally, oathkeeper and Alstead town selectman Chris Rietmann took the stage to deliver the Friday night keynote address, covering his news-making open carry activism, his pro-liberty actions as a selectman, and support of activism of all stripes.
Chris Rietmann Delivers the Friday Keynote
Remember, if you can’t make it in reality – all the panels and speakers will be released on video over the weeks following Keenevention, so stay tuned to the Keenevention blog for more announcements (you can sign up for emails when the blog has new posts using the signup box in the right column). You can also follow the new Keenevention Twitter, Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.
by Ian | Oct 25, 2015 |
Alfredo Valentin, Hero
In a six page decision issued this week, NH Hillsborough superior court judge Gillian L. Abramson dismissed the misdemeanor wiretapping charge against Alfredo Valentin – affirming the right to record police in public includes secret recordings. The judge cites both the Glik and Gericke cases which were important federal cases affirming the right to record police in public. The state argued in this case, that since the recording was secret, the right to record doesn’t apply in NH, where the wiretapping statute is ridiculously oppressive. The judge smacked that claim down:
the Court finds that the First Amendment protects secretly filming police in public, for the same reasons that the First Amendment generally protects filming police. The public has the right to gather and disseminate information about the police.
Free State Project early mover and attorney Brandon Ross is Valentin’s lawyer (Ross has previously beaten wiretapping charges at the NH supreme court.) and had this to say, in an exclusive interview for Free Keene, about the judge’s decision: “By charging him with a felony, the state destroyed my client’s career–and made things much worse with this wild goose chase prosecution. I’m glad the court wasn’t fooled by the state’s manifestly incorrect representations about the law. I look forward to him getting his day in federal court.”
Attorney Brandon Ross
Ross also excoriated the NH legislature for their inaction on fixing the horrible wiretapping statutes, saying, “This never needed to happen. Numerous bills have been brought to the legislature to fix this. Each time, the legislature has failed to act to bring simple, necessary clarity to a law which police are continually abusing. But the NH chiefs of police scare them each time, and nothing happens. The resulting litigation from that spineless failure to act, does nothing but inconvenience citizens and cost taxpayers.”
The decision is excellent and will certainly help Valentin in his million+ dollar lawsuit against Manchester Police for violating his rights.
You can read the full six-page order here. Will the state attorney general’s office appeal to the NH supreme court and risk making this decision apply to the entire state? Stay tuned here to Free Keene for the latest.
by Ian | Oct 20, 2015 |
The Updated Bitcoin Panel for 2015
Keenevention 2015 kicks off in less than two weeks! Join us Hallowkeene weekend, October 30th through November 1st. Tickets for the third-annual Keenevention are just $60 or BTC for the whole weekend, including the Hallowkeene costume dance party! Pre-event ticketing is limited to 100, so lock yours in now.
Stay tuned to the Keenevention blog for more announcements. You can also follow the new Keenevention Twitter, Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.
by Ian | Oct 5, 2015 |
James Cleaveland, Attorney Jon Meyer, Ian Freeman
It was a great event, and I’m grateful that we were invited. James earned it for his amazing organizing of Robin Hood of Keene activism and Darryl heading up the lawsuit against the state of NH for their unfair treatment of third parties.
Record Attendance of 240!
Free Keene Bloggers Darryl W. Perry, James Cleaveland, and Ian Freeman
by Ian | Oct 4, 2015 |
Conan Salada for Keene City Council At-Large 2015
Here are our responses to the Keene Sentinel’s candidate questionnaire: Conan’s answers, Ian’s answers
Liberty lovers in Keene should consider bullet voting for Conan and I to help us move through the primary (or if you really want to bullet vote, choose just Conan). A “bullet vote” adds votes only to the most principled candidates, which assists in our vote totals in a multi-seat race like this.
If you live in Keene, please come vote on Tuesday, October 6th from 8am to 7pm. Voting locations and more details are here.
