Selling on Amazon, boycotting social Sundays, and bike trail travesties • Drink that water, fatty • No parking meters = increased business • Some people just need to get slapped..and their damn kids • This month’s hero: Guy obstructs red light cameras for the people • Shaunna and Daryl join • Show notes at BlackSheepRising.org
Gavin Andresen, Bitcoin’s Head Developer
When the anonymous “Satoshi Nakamoto” released Bitcoin to the world, Satoshi chose a successor as the “core maintainer”, aka chief developer of the open source, decentralized, non-governmental internet money. Gavin Andresen was Satoshi’s pick.
I’m excited to announce that Keenevention’s Bitcoin Panel will feature Gavin Andresen this year! Yes, the rules are being bent to allow Gavin to speak at Keenevention, as he’s not currently living in New Hampshire, but instead in nearby Amherst, MA.
It’s a very important time for the Bitcoin Panel, as the bitcoin community is currently divided over a possible “fork” in the bitcoin programming. Gavin and another core developer are currently debating with three other core bitcoin developers over the future of how bitcoin will (or won’t) scale up to meet an ever-increasing market. The debate is heated, and now the decision on the future of bitcoin is in the hands of its miners. Can Gavin and his supporters sway the miners to make the switch to his new software, BitcoinXT?
Keenevention’s Bitcoin Panel is taking place in the midst of this strife within the bitcoin community. If you have questions for Gavin, Keenevention 2015 is a perfect opportunity to ask them on-stage or off.
Keenevention is 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, including more panels and another keynote speaker. You can also follow Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.
Jazzy Girl on the Rainbow Bench!
This morning, Christopher Cornell of the United Church of Christ at the head of Central Square in Downtown Keene announced a really cool selfie contest in response to continued vandalization of their rainbow benches in Elsie Priest Park, just behind the UCC on Church St.
At least one unknown vandal in her sixties has been caught in the act of painting the rainbow bench in red. She ran to her red compact car and took off. The bench was subsequently painted rainbow by more volunteers, then attacked by the vandal(s) again, and so on. The church has plenty of paint and volunteers. Love will win over hate.
UCC administrator Mark C. Harris explained in a post to the church blog that the benches were painted rainbow this summer by volunteers and that they represent that, “We want everyone to feel welcome to use the park. This is in good keeping with our belief that all of God’s children are beloved, no matter who they are, or where they are on life’s journey. All are welcome, no matter their gender, age, race, ethnicity, economic status, sexual orientation, difference in abilities, religion or absence thereof.”
Renee Kate and Jazzy Showing Love > Hate
Today the benches are rainbow and people who side with love have been invited by the UCC to visit them and take a selfie, and post it on social media tagged with #onthebench. there are prizes, and the contest for the best selfie ends Saturday September 5th, at 10pm, which coincides with the end of the Keene Music Festival.
Speculation abounds as to the motivation of the vandal(s) – it’s easy to jump to a conclusion and say it’s someone with an anti-gay sentiment, but longtime readers of this blog will also recall the controversy back in 2009 when local entrepreneur Dorrie O’Meara launched her Mexican restaurant Pedraza’s. Some people around town were upset because O’Meara painted her building yellow! Certain grumpy people in this area seem to hate colors besides brick red and gray.
Take this, vandals!
Cornell said in an interview for Free Keene that he thinks the first time the the vandal(s) struck, the benches were fully painted red, but that since then the vandal(s) have only painted over the yellow part. He’s losing track of the amount of times the benches have been vandalized, but thinks it may have been at least six times, all since the beginning of August.
Smart move on the UCC’s part to make this into a hopefully-viral phenomenon. The vandals, whatever the hate they carry in their hearts, probably weren’t expecting these benches to turn into a movement!
The Shire Free Church is joining in solidarity with the UCC and all those who support love over hate, so I went out with Renee Kate and Jazzy the Studio Dog for a photo shoot this afternoon. Remember to tag your bench selfies with #onthebench on your social media posts.
Stay tuned to Free Keene for the latest on this controversy. Last year it was chalk causing controversy, this year it’s rainbows!
The War on Drugs is a failure.
Ending the war on drugs is a good first step to removing a major barrier (fear of arrest) to addicts getting help. Let’s start by treating addicts with compassion. Hatred is not helping.
Church of the Invisible Hand founder and Shire Free Church minister Rich Paul wrote an excellent blog post on the matter while he was behind bars. He was jailed for a year for selling cannabis flowers – the cops and FBI even let a heroin dealer go free so they could bust Rich.
Rich’s blog is titled, “Reducing the Incidence and Impact of Heroin Abuse” – don’t miss it.
-Posted today to the Shire Free Church facebook page.
Two of the biggest events of the Summer in Keene have come together on the same day – “Keene Music Festival” and “Art in the Park” are both this Saturday!
Both festivals are still in their respective locations, with Music Fest‘s stages being spread throughout downtown Keene from 11am to 10pm and Art in the Park in nearby, beautiful Ashuelot Park from 10am to 4pm (Art in the Park also happens Sunday).
According to the president of the Monadnock Area Artists Association, Wendi Hulslander, the decision to hold both events on the same day was deliberate. Seems like a smart move – lots of people come to town for each festival, so why not have them on the same day so people can cross-pollinate between the two and enjoy a big day full of art in Keene?
If you love music and visual art, you won’t want to be anywhere but Keene this weekend.
The New Hampshire Union-Leader published an editorial, expressing disappointment that the Libertarian Party’s ballot access case lost in U.S. District Court on August 27, and suggested the prohibition on collecting petitions before the year of the election be repealed.
It is very likely the Libertarian Party will appeal.
You can read the editorial here.
Foundation for New Hampshire Independence board member Robert Mathias reprises his role as the host of the Secession Panel at Keenevention! How can we bring secession to the forefront? Bring your questions for his panel of secession advocates. Panelists to be announced.
Keenevention is 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, including more panels and another keynote speaker. You can also follow Keenevention’s facebook page and join the official facebook event here.
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