I, too, am suffering Bitcoin-headline-fatigue, to the point where I was glad to see machined QR bitcoins b/c I could finally tell people to kindly shove them wh

I, too, am suffering Bitcoin-headline-fatigue, to the point where I was glad to see machined QR bitcoins b/c I could finally tell people to kindly shove them where the sun don't shine. HOWEVER, just b/c I'm exhausted, I don't think Stross' points are valid or limited to Bitcoin in the least. He might want BC to die in a fire, but BC isn't doing anything special that cash/gold isn't/can't be doing. Here is an overview of his points: > 1. Mining BtC has a carbon footprint from hell > 2. Bitcoin mining software is now being distributed as malware > 3. Stolen electricity will drive out honest mining. (So the greatest benefits accrue to the most ruthless criminals.) > 4. Bitcoin's utter lack of regulation permits really hideous markets to emerge, in commodities like assassination (and drugs and child pornography). >5. It's also inherently damaging to the fabric of civil society.