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Guest Column: All about the Benjamins of the Bitcoin?

REPORTER FILE PHOTO | Shelter Island Library

Ever heard of Blockchain? Didn’t think so. How about cryptocurrencies? Perhaps. Bitcoin? Probably. But if you’ve ever wondered about the intricacies and influences entwined in the mysterious netherworld of digital investing, the next installment of the Shelter Island Public Library’s Friday Night Dialogues is for you!On October 19 in his presentation “New Money: Bitcoin and Altcoin,” Tyler Kassten, a librarian from Riverhead Free Library, will explain that buying or investing in digital currencies is, similar to the stock market, really like gambling…but with fewer rules.

Mr. Kassten has been fascinated with technology from a very young age, from building computers to learning C++, a general purpose programming language. He says that when it comes to buying or investing in Bitcoin or similar cryptocurrencies “there’s very few laws on the books at the moment, and the government is very slow to catch up on regulating and policing what would usually be illegal in the stock market.” In his presentation, Mr. Kassten will cover the history of Bitcoin, what Cryptocurrencies are and the pros and cons of investing in them. The latest digital currency trend seems to center around Blockchain, and Mr. Kassten will explain exactly what Blockchain is and what the values and uses of Blockchain could be in the future. He explains that while still in its infancy, Blockchain has the potential “to really change how the internet operates.”

Forget keeping pace with technology. For most of us just staying the same distance behind is a challenge. But to get a peek at what’s ahead of the curve, and to perhaps become educated enough to take a tantalizing look at cryptocurrency investing, post October 19 at 7 p.m. on your e-calendar for Tyler Kassten’s entertaining and informative talk. That’s “New Money: Bitcoin and Altcoin” at the Shelter Island Public Library’s Friday Night Dialogues on October 19. This program is free of charge, however donations are always gratefully accepted.Up next: Join us on Friday, October 26 at 7 p.m. to meet Gerard Doyle and hear about producing and narrating an audiobook.