Thank you

Thank you Dick.

Very kind. Thank you.

Just lucky timing, but logic supports the call at some time. Wouldn't be surprised to see a strong bounce back, but can't see a long-term future for an unregulated "currency" technically supported by open source software running on a volunteer network of private computers, with most holders not being known to government taxing agencies; and with extremely limited transaction volume and speed capacity (miniscule by comparison to daily banking and credit card volumes and very long by comparison to banking and credit card transaction time)

I believe that is because their is no name or origin location attached to the transaction record. I am no expert on that, but that I my understanding.

Thanks Bill... at a more extreme level (and related to other hostile players), it could make sense to have asset at more than one dealer or bank in cased North Korea (or other adversaries) decide to and effectively hack a dealer or bank and disable the backup and scramble the accounts data. Even if it would eventually be straightened out, the wait might be too long.

I personally have my assets at three different dealers partly for that reason (but for other reasons too). --- I also believe that keeping PDF and/or paper versions of statements is essential in case proof of holdings ever became necessary...

... sounds silly but I have already learned the hard way. it is not just theory.

I was vested in a pension at the Travelers Ins Co many years ago. When I turned 65 I called to claim my pension, and they said they had no record of me and that I had to prove to them I ever worked there by producing copies of W2 statement (from 40 years earlier).

The SS admin doesn't store data that far back. They get data from the IRS and they don't store data that far back.

I called the ERISA people in Washington DC and they said I could file a law suit (gee thanks, with what evidence?) So I have no money from the time I spend at Travelers.

Fortunately not a big loss, but there is a specific example of electronic records being wiped (in this case by negligence of the parties who bought and sold the Travelers) that put the burden on the individual to maintain records to prove a holding or a right. Keep records on the dealers letter head.

I said, "hundreds of other cryptocurrencies". Should have been more specific. The 10 listed are the 10 most popular or most developed. They are referred to at AltCoins. Don't know if the other hundreds are called AltCoins as well. I will ask editors to add note that the 10 are the leading alternative digital currencies

Good idea -- yes, this is your generation's bubble -- it may be difficult to short with such a volatile asset because it is difficult to know quite when the time has come -- the whipsaw risk is extremely high -- futures are your only option at the moment, a liquid fund available to short may become available in the future -- GBTC is "hard to borrow" and cannot be used to short at this time

Mark,

I we assume that HFT as you define it continues, and if we think of it as just one more structural cost of investing, what do you think that cost is?

Richard