See Part Two below, for an update.
I cannot resist the observation (like the one Colbert made last night, regarding Trump’s supposed media site being hacked, in the first hours of its existence — see last paragraph below!) that — throughout the nation, every Coinstar machine I’ve ever seen in any retail location… is simply a one armed bandit.
For the unfamiliar, one brings lawful coin of the realm, and pours it into the counting hopper, provided by Coinstar. The machine whirs and clicks… and spits out a fraction of what you put in, in paper Federal Reserve notes.
So the company charges you real money, for the “service” — of accepting your money.
Charming.
Skip ahead to yesterday: Coinstar and Wal-Mart announced that Bitcoin “ATMs” will be placed in at least 200 outlets, on a trial basis. [One of my local gas stations, a Citgo franchise, for the now 19 months of COVID-19, has sported a Bitcoin ATM — disgusting. It collects… dust — “the lights are on; no one is home” — the gas station owner / franchisee tells me (but he gets paid a small amount of rent to leave it inside, in the corner).]
In any event, here’s that Wal-Wart story:
…Wal-Mart said on Thursday customers at some of its U.S. stores will be able to purchase bitcoin using ATM-like machines installed by Coinstar.
Coinstar, known for its machines that can exchange physical coins for cash, has partnered with digital currency exchange CoinMe to let customers buy bitcoin at some of its kiosks.
There are 200 Coinstar kiosks located inside Walmart stores across the United States that will allow customers to buy bitcoin, a Walmart spokesperson said….
So again, Coinstar — with the same model: have people who shop at Wal-Mart convert their USD holdings (i.e., non-existent — in the main) to… Bitcoin(?!) — to go shopping?
Huh?!
And they get charged, as the “depositer” — an otherwise usurious fee, I am dead-bang certain.
Yet another case of trying to sell fish… bicycles, in the crypto-evangelism sphere.
But yes — 100 per cent on brand for both names. Fleecing the have-nots, in the main.
Which brings me to Colbert, last night. He laughed about Trump being hacked (someone created a fake account in his name on his own platform — and posted the matter at left).
And then Colbert said (more or less) — “are we SURE it is not REALLY Tangerine? I mean… crapping on your own scrotum… sure seems… 100% on brand, for him.”
Indeed it does, in both cases [click the left image — a comment on Candace Owens’ latest libel of Alec Baldwin].
Updated — Part Two: Just when I thought no one could be more callous, stupid and unblinkingly evil than Candace Owens (calling it “murder”)… Hinderaker comes along to say Mr. Baldwin is (wait for it!) in worse shape, legally — than Derek Chauvin. You know, the cop who killed Mr. Floyd by kneeling on his neck (while he was handcuffed face down on the pavement) — for over seven minutes? Yes. That’s John’s… “take.”
Hinderaker seems to think (like Owens) that Mr. Baldwin intended a killing. It was a horrific accident (nothing more); if anyone is responsible it is the prop master, or perhaps — the manufacturer of the blank round.
That is where this will end. John defended Dick Cheney when he blasted his lawyer in the face with a shotgun, hunting. But he strains to blame… an actor whose caricature of Tangerine… he resents.
INSANE. But he may be unintentionally right, from a legal point of view — right, since the Supremes again this week failed to reign in qualifified immunity for killer cops — like Chauvin. But Chauvin will do close to 30 years (if not more) behind bars.
Mr. Baldwin? Not a chance. It was an accident.
Out — grinning, with my Friday trivia assignment now completed.
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