Recommended Posts

After banning several of the largest file-hosting sites, PayPal is now taking aim at Usenet services. The payment processor has just cut off several providers of Usenet services and frozen the funds in their accounts. These actions are due to growing copyright infringement concerns which have resulted in an extremely strict and in some cases privacy-violating set of requirements being laid down by the payment processing company.

PayPal is widely known for their aggressive stance towards BitTorrent sites and file-sharing services, and now this policy has also been actively applied to Usenet providers.

On Tuesday, PayPal cut off its services to five Usenet resellers including XSUsenet, EasyUsenet and Usenet4U, reports the Dutch news site Tweakers. The Usenet providers can no longer accept PayPal payments and the funds that remain in their accounts have been frozen for 180 days.

While this is the first time that we have heard about Usenet providers being banned, the actions don?t come as a complete surprise. To be accepted by PayPal, file-hosting services now have to comply with a list of far-reaching demands entirely targeted at copyright-infringing and otherwise illegal files.

Read full article here: http://torrentfreak.com/paypal-bans-usenet-providers-over-piracy-concerns-121121/

Not surprised. PayPal closed my account last year for selling legitimate copies of Windows because 2 or 3 customers (out of dozens I sold) had issues installing them and claimed that they weren't genuine (which was nonsense).

Looks like PayPal may have received pressure from RIAA/MPAA to cut off these providers. A lot of the providers that got banned are overseas, so the RIAA/MPAA can't touch these companies with traditional methods. Since PayPal is American, they can pressure PayPal into banning these companies from using their system.

One of the things I miss from Aus is that the banks there actually were ahead of the pace with online features and technology. Since moving I've had to learn how to deal with cheques instead of just being able to direct deposit rent into my housemate's bank account.

It didn't take long before I understood how Paypal came to exist in the first place.

How is bitcoin anywhere near Paypal.. (BTW yes paypal is horrible and I would never use it) but bitcoin isn't real money, is it?

Which begs the question, how "real" is a 1 dollar US bill for example?

It's just a piece of paper and has no intrinsic worth whatsoever.

How is bitcoin anywhere near Paypal.. (BTW yes paypal is horrible and I would never use it) but bitcoin isn't real money, is it?

I suppose you could look at bitcoin like a foreign currency, which you buy with "real" money. The country where it is accepted is the internet.

You can also "mine" it, but that's a whole other story.

Which begs the question, how "real" is a 1 dollar US bill for example?

It's just a piece of paper and has no intrinsic worth whatsoever.

Well, the dollar is backed by Barack Obama. The bitcoin is backed by some guy living in a basement.

Yea im not down with paypal, ill use them but only if i have too. Think ill have a look at bitcoin now!

Well, the dollar is backed by Barack Obama. The bitcoin is backed by some guy living in a basement.

and what about people outside the US. Paypal was usefull for me to pay for goods inside the US from outside the US!

Well, the dollar is backed by Barack Obama. The bitcoin is backed by some guy living in a basement.

Is there a difference I'm missing?

You reckon if the USD failed Barack Obama would personally guarantee your deposit?

There are a few things that have actual value. Things like gold, silver...

Is there a difference I'm missing?

You reckon if the USD failed Barack Obama would personally guarantee your deposit?

There are a few things that have actual value. Things like gold, silver...

The USA has tanks and planes and stuff to make sure we take over Canada or something if our demise is imminent. Bitcoins can't do anything.

Showing an ungodly lack of understanding of the idea of floating currencies.

Seriously. It's worth what people think it's worth.

That's why your currency goes up and down on a daily basis. It's not that your country gets more or less gold, it's driven by consumer confidence and demand (or lack there of) counter balanced by availability.

Bitcoins are worth money so long as their is a demand for them, so long as people think there is a demand for them or until governments start trying to legislate against it :\

The USA has tanks and planes and stuff to make sure we take over Canada or something if our demise is imminent. Bitcoins can't do anything.

Doubt your capitalist loving pilots would fly without pay tbh. Nice dream for you to have though.

Showing an ungodly lack of understanding of the idea of floating currencies.

Seriously. It's worth what people think it's worth.

That's why your currency goes up and down on a daily basis. It's not that your country gets more or less gold, it's driven by consumer confidence and demand (or lack there of) counter balanced by availability.

Bitcoins are worth money so long as their is a demand for them, so long as people think there is a demand for them or until governments start trying to legislate against it :\

Indeed. The point however is that it's actually worth **** in the event of a catastrophe or financial crash. Having Coolboy Obama "backing" it is also worth a **** in the wind. Money is essentially faking it. A promise not a guarantee.

Some things however, at their base, do have a value.

Not that it would probably matter much, but if the government/society was destroyed by war/natural disaster/financial meltdown - the guy with $1,000,000 in "money" at the Bank or the guy with some gold bars under his bed. Who do you want to be?

They'd better ban eBay transactions, there are actual fake goods on that site, which takes actual real money from the makers of those brands by tricking legitimate consumers into purchasing those fake goods.

That has more grounds than piracy of digital goods, since people are knowingly downloading it to either try before they buy, or have ZERO intention of purchasing in the first place.

Indeed. The point however is that it's actually worth **** in the event of a catastrophe or financial crash. Having Coolboy Obama "backing" it is also worth a **** in the wind. Money is essentially faking it. A promise not a guarantee.

Some things however, at their base, do have a value.

Not that it would probably matter much, but if the government/society was destroyed by war/natural disaster/financial meltdown - the guy with $1,000,000 in "money" at the Bank or the guy with some gold bars under his bed. Who do you want to be?

Neither. The guy with gold bars under his bed is going to get beat up by looters and have his gold stolen from him. The guy with $1,000,000 is dumb for not diversifying his assets.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Posts

    • If I ever get that issue I will let you know how I fix it
    • As I've been usually saying lately - we all can thank "AI" for this.
    • Friday Windows 11 preview builds are here. Insiders in the Experimental (formerly Dev) and Beta Channel can download builds 26300.8697 and 26220.8690. My Windows11 device on the Preview Channel just got 26220.8728. My guess is this build is a nightly update from 26220.8690.
    • Traffic has a surprisingly unexpected impact on your surroundings by Sayan Sen Image by Radik 2707 via Pexels A collaborative study by researchers from several Israeli institutions found that everyday pollution from traffic and industrial activity measurably changed the atmospheric electric field over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, providing new evidence of how human activity can influence the lower atmosphere. The research was led by Dr. Roy Yaniv of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Gertner Institute at Sheba Medical Center, Dr. Assaf Hochman of the Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University, and Prof. Yoav Yair of Reichman University. The study also involved Itay Froomer, a student from Hadera High School and the Israeli Museum of Medicine and Science (Technoda), who carried out the work as part of the Ministry of Education's 5-unit physics research track. The researchers focused on the atmospheric electric field under fair-weather conditions. Even in the absence of storms, a weak electric field naturally exists between Earth's surface and the atmosphere. One of the main ways scientists measure this field is through the Potential Gradient (PG), which is the inverse of the vertical component of the electric field. PG is a key part of the global electric circuit, a planet-wide system of electrical currents maintained by thunderstorms and electrified clouds around the world. Scientists have long known that the atmospheric electric field can be influenced by factors ranging from large-scale atmospheric processes to local weather conditions such as dust, fog and clouds. Human-made pollution is also known to play a role, but understanding exactly how urban emissions affect the electric field close to the ground has remained an area of ongoing research. To investigate this relationship, the team analyzed measurements from a newly installed electric field mill, an instrument used to continuously monitor the strength of the atmospheric electric field. The instrument was installed at the Center for Technological Education (Roter House) in Holon and became operational in August 2024. It was funded by Israel's Ministry of Education and the Holon municipality. The electric field mill forms part of a broader monitoring network that includes nearby meteorological stations and air-quality monitoring sites. This allowed researchers to compare electric field measurements with detailed weather data and pollution records to better understand what was driving changes in the Potential Gradient. The study focused on two major urban pollutants: fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), both commonly produced by vehicle traffic and industrial activity. PM2.5 refers to microscopic airborne particles small enough to remain suspended in the atmosphere for extended periods, while NOx is a group of gases released during fuel combustion. Researchers examined daily, weekly and seasonal patterns in the atmospheric electric field and compared them with changes in pollutant concentrations. Their analysis revealed a clear relationship between NOx levels and changes in the Potential Gradient, particularly during morning and evening rush hours when traffic emissions were at their highest. “What we observe is a direct physical link between emission peaks and electrical variability,” explained Dr. Roy Yaniv. “NOx reduces atmospheric conductivity very quickly, so the electric field responds almost instantaneously during traffic rush hours.” Atmospheric conductivity describes how easily electrical charges move through the air. According to the researchers, nitrogen oxides rapidly alter this conductivity, causing a near-immediate response in the electric field. PM2.5, however, was associated with a delayed response. The researchers attributed this difference to the particles' longer atmospheric residence time, meaning they remain in the atmosphere for longer periods, as well as their different microphysical interactions with surrounding air and atmospheric components. The study also identified a pronounced "weekend effect." In Israel, traffic volumes and some industrial activity decline significantly on Fridays and Saturdays. During these periods, concentrations of both NOx and PM2.5 dropped, and corresponding changes were observed in the atmospheric electric field. “The weekend signal demonstrates just how sensitive the electric field is to changes in human activity,” the researchers noted. “When emissions decline, the electrical environment adjusts at once, providing a high-resolution indicator of urban atmospheric conditions.” The findings showed that pollution levels can influence not only the chemical composition of the atmosphere but also its electrical properties. Researchers said the results strengthened the case for using atmospheric electricity as an additional tool for environmental monitoring, particularly in densely populated urban areas where anthropogenic, or human-caused, influences are most pronounced. The study also pointed to potential public health applications. By combining air-quality measurements with observations of atmospheric electricity, researchers said they could gain a more complete picture of how urban atmospheric conditions change over time. “Integrating air-quality data with electric-field measurements gives us a clearer picture of how the lower atmosphere evolves moment by moment,” the researchers added. “It’s a framework that can support both scientific insight and practical environmental decision-making.” Beyond the scientific findings, the project highlighted a collaboration between universities, public institutions and secondary education. Researchers said the work demonstrated how students could take part in real-world environmental research while contributing to studies of air quality, atmospheric processes and their potential effects on society. Source: Hebrew University, ScienceDirect This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, this material is used for the purpose of news reporting. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing
  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      AMV earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      AMV earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Collaborator
      ryansurfer98 went up a rank
      Collaborator
    • One Month Later
      Eurosoft10 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Eurosoft10 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      540
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      186
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      80
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      77
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      72
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!