What's that? You say Bitcoin has not been the front page feature story your local newspaper where you live? You must not live in Keene, New Hampshire - the capitol of real-life business acceptance of the world's first cryptocurrency!

About one month ago, the Monadnock Shopper News featured Bitcoin and the regional businesses that accept it on their front page, above-the-fold! Not to be outdone, the Keene Sentinel's business section had a massive article in today's paper that was not only the front page feature but was also promoted above-the-fold in the headline of the front page of the century-plus old newspaper. You can read it online here at the Keene Sentinel's site. (Here's a PDF of the piece.)

Reporter Paul Cuno-Booth did a thorough job interviewing various owners of the local bitcoin-accepting businesses about their reasons for backing the amazing decentralized currency, including Monadnock Makerspace founder Johnny Bolster, area computer tech Michael Gordon, Bob Maibusch of Pine Springs Golf Course, Ken Urbanski of Kirby's Q, and Steve Wilder of Wilder Automotive. Cuno-Booth also focuses on the Shire Free Church's media outreach along with our local meetup group for Bitcoiners and other cryptocurrency users and newbies, the Monadnock Decentralized Currency Network.

As we have reported here at Free Keene, according to CoinMap, Keene is the number one city in the world for bitcoin-accepting businesses per capita. Obviously not all businesses have the same results, of course. Though the golf course has yet to have a customer with bitcoin, Wilder Auto reports approximately a dozen customers regularly using bitcoin. Bolster, who also is the creator of the Portal Map, reported that he was able to sell ads to some new customers on his yearly map of area businesses, because he is accepting bitcoin as payment! That's money that otherwise would have been left on the table had Bolster decided against accepting the cryptocurrency.

Bolster's story really exemplifies one of Bitcoin's strongest aspects. Even though it's an international currency, it has a strong local feel. Unlike other attempts at local currencies that are based on the US Dollar and therefore subject to the whims of politicians, Bitcoin cannot be manipulated by politicians and banks. It's truly a money for the people. Plus, Bitcoin accomplishes what a local currency is supposed to do - it keeps more money in the community - unlike credit card providers, who take approximately 3% out of every transaction away from the Keene area and into major bank coffers. It's really exciting to see downtown businesses doing business with each other in bitcoin, and not just accepting it from customers and converting it to cash (which they could do if they wanted).

What you're seeing here in Keene is what's possible with only a dozen or so dedicated activists. Keene's already the top in business bitcoin-acceptance and that's now getting acknowledgement in mainstream media. Combine our success here in Keene with Derrick J's new bitcoin-only store out in Portsmouth, this year's major political win with the NH "Bitcoin protection bill", and NH's overall dominance in the Bitcoin universe, and its no wonder that libertarian and voluntarist cryptocurrency fans are moving here in large numbers. In case you needed more reasons to come, here are 101 of them.

In a time when governments are trying to crack down on cryptocurrency, we need a haven now more than ever. Please come join us in real life and make the move to the Shire as part of the ongoing NH Freedom Migration and get active with us. In addition to the local meetup group, we also have NH Bitcoin forums that you're welcome to join and connect with other cryptocurrency users across the Shire.

This story originally appeared on Free Keene, my main blog site:

http://freekeene.com/2017/07/29/bitcoin-feature-story-hits-front-page-of-keene-sentinel/

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