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Denver is too damn highJohn Cook
5/23/13 6:17pm
Crackstarter Update: You're buying someone a lot of crack
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  HosNBrosDenver is too damn high
  5/23/13 6:27pm
  LOL
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  Denver is too damn highHosNBros
  5/23/13 6:29pm
  The 200k ain't going to be invested in no kitty rescue shelter.
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MarkEbnerJohn Cook
5/24/13 2:47am
I just finished writing a true crime book for Random House Canada with an undercover drug cop: http://www.randomhouse.ca/books/224535/b…

We had a good laugh over this preposterous scheme to move a taxable 200k across the border into the hands drug dealers looking to disappear themselves - not to mention all the donors volunteering to expose themselves as part of the conspiracy. In the end, I'm glad John Cook made it home safely from Toronto and is stepping off before the authorities ruined a good journalist.
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  MagisterMarkEbner
  5/26/13 4:31am
  http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/05/…
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  MarkEbnerMagister
  5/26/13 7:17pm
  Yep:
  
  "[A]n electronic transaction that large between Canada and the United States will likely get flagged to both countries' financial regulatory bodies, said Christine Duhaime, a B.C. lawyer with a specialized anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing practice.
  
  Electronic cross-border transactions over $10,000 must be declared, she said.
  
  "Anyone is going to be concerned at any regulatory agency and any police force is going to be concerned with a company coming out and saying they're raising money to buy something from a drug dealer.... There are going to be some red flags. I don't really know how much this is going to be monitored, other than the fact that somebody is going to monitor the payment from Gawker fairly closely, because people have come out and said it is drug dealers [involved]."
  
  The purchase of the video itself isn't illegal, but if the recipient - the details of which must be known for wire transfers and other electronic transactions - is a known criminal and shows up on a list of suspects or suspicious individuals, it will be reported to FINTRAC in Canada or FINCEN in the U.S., she said.
  
  "Assuming it's a legitimate video and it's legally taken, that's not a problem," she said. "Except that it's going to a known drug dealer. Paying to a known drug dealer for a legitimate sale is problematic in and of itself, because the vendor [is] of questionable character and there are questionable activities."
  
  Just one more wrinkle in an incredibly convoluted story.
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lobstrJohn Cook
5/23/13 8:57pm
Just curious, let's say the owner came forward and was like "fuck, fuck, fuck, I can't wait anymore, and $145,000 is still a hell of a lot of money, I'll take it!", will Indiegogo let you pull the plug before the deadline and let the cash come through?

I had thought about this with people who fund Kickstarter campaigns — say someone set a lofty goal to get $50,000 within 30 days — day 29 comes and it's only up to $35,000 .. yet, they feel they could still attempt to accomplish the stated goal with $35k (as opposed to just losing it all the next day and having nothing), can they hit a magic button and consider it funded?
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  Free Market Party Companylobstr
  5/23/13 10:08pm
  No, they cannot. All-or-nothing deal.
  
  And given the rate of donations, why would the tape owner come forward EARLY? Another couple of days and it will likely be the full $200k.
  
  As a contributor myself, I don't object to the money going to a charity if the deal goes south, but I WOULD urge Gawker to consider pulling the plug if they've had no word from the seller by the last day.
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  lobstrFree Market Party Company
  5/23/13 10:17pm
  Well, that's the thing — there's two days left (and now that John had mentioned shit got a little sketchier, that might discourage the last push of would-be donors); so here's why the owner would come forward early: if you're the tape owner, let's say there's t-minus 2 hours left before the campaign is over, and it's stalled at $180,000, wouldn't you be happy with the $180k than risking "seeing if another $20,000 will come in two hours or you get absolutely nothing"? I'd take the money.
  
  It seems likely this shit could get real close and stall just under the $200k...
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-______-John Cook
5/23/13 9:34pm
Not to hate on charity or anything, but why not just return the funds if you can't consummate the deal? Is that a limitation of indiegogo?
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  Swifterr-______-
  5/24/13 1:31am
  Their plan from word 1 was the charity thing if it fell through. There's no reason for any other plan at all. Given the climate in Canada's major cities, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, around substance abuse and issues that come with it, I don't think you'll find a Canadian that'll take issue with it. In a country with relatively low random violent crimes, this is probably issue one in regards to "crime".
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  -______-Swifterr
  5/24/13 1:57am
  Um, okay? I never said they were being deceptive about it. I just know that I would be more willing to donate if I knew the funds were definitely going toward the video (or would be returned to me). I'm sure substance abuse nonprofits are a worthy cause but that doesn't mean I necessarily feel like donating to one.
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drunkapeJohn Cook
5/23/13 6:13pm
Oh god I can't wait. Hopefully the shady owner doesn't pull the old Serbian Double Jew Bluff.
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  Cill Bosbydrunkape
  5/23/13 6:21pm
  What the hell is that?
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  Denver is too damn highCill Bosby
  5/23/13 6:41pm
  
  It's a thing when two midgets with beards on ice-skates teases you with kosher bacon kabobs
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SchlomoohooooJohn Cook
5/23/13 7:39pm
I don't really care about this crackhead, but I have to inquire: Aren't you increasing the value of this tape by advertising it so aggressively? I'm guessing its street value was, what $20, before you started lusting for it?
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  MyrmaidSchlomoohoooo
  5/23/13 9:44pm
  Nahh, there are enough people in Toronto with a major interest in ending Ford career that it always had value. I believe a news outlet had already offered 50 k before Gawker started talking about.
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  SchlomoohooooMyrmaid
  5/23/13 9:47pm
  So...they're now paying $150K over than the market value? My guess is this is a lot of foreplay with ...a deflating ending.
  
  Now, on the other hand, if this were for a tape of Bloomberg or Booker or Christie, let the hounds loose!
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PlantinMoretusJohn Cook
5/23/13 6:52pm
The video cannot be disappeared. We need it, because otherwise Rob Ford will skate over this, like he has with so many things. That will puff up his ego and sense of invincibility even more. He might even get re-elected! And keep on wrecking Toronto!
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  TorontoHomoPlantinMoretus
  5/23/13 7:05pm
  It's not he was the codes for thermal nuclear war. If you knew anything about Toronto politics you would know the mayor has only one vote on counsel. Council can outvote him every single time.
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  PlantinMoretusTorontoHomo
  5/23/13 7:13pm
  I won't spell it out for you, but I'm in a position to know quite a bit about Toronto politics. Ford has only one vote, but his influence goes beyond that.
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iElvis is Putting in a Bid for Gawker.comJohn Cook
5/23/13 7:29pm
1. Rob Ford knows who shot the video and where it was taken.

2. Rob Ford has more than $200,000 to throw at this problem.

3. Rob Ford is in charge of a major municipal government.

Ergo, I think this is the last we shall hear of this.
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  hiiiiiiiiiiyaaaaaaaa2x4iElvis is Putting in a Bid for Gawker.com
  5/23/13 7:50pm
  You do realize the alleged video is in digital form, no?
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  UntoldentiElvis is Putting in a Bid for Gawker.com
  5/23/13 7:56pm
  "Loaded" doesn't mean you have that wealth as liquid cash. Look at the Mike Duffy thing - a Canadian senator is presumably "loaded", but Duffy had to have a buddy pay down his debt for him. Police should be watching Ford closely to see if he's been selling a bunch of stuff lately.
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FactJohn Cook
5/23/13 6:18pm
You guys... There's not one person skilled in negotiations working on this? I could get them to take $150k.

Also, in the impending article concerning the Boy Scout's national convention vote on gay scouts, please note that the meeting was held at the Gaylord Texan convention center.
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  ihave2catsFact
  5/23/13 6:23pm
  Thank you for both of these points.
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  Factihave2cats
  5/23/13 6:28pm
  I found it of interest. I've stayed at that resort before as well. My permanently immature sense of humor always made me giggle whenever I saw or said the name. Nice place, though. I highly recommend the suites.
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BigSteveJohn Cook
5/23/13 7:35pm
You know what would make this hilarious? If these crack dealers used this $200k to buy a whole shit ton of crack. Then they give that crack to dealers to sell on the streets. Then hijinks would ensue as neighborhoods were destroyed! An added bonus would be the destruction of addicts' lives and the ruining of familiEs. Lol! OMG! I can't wait!
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  P-as-in-PsychologyBigSteve
  5/23/13 9:43pm
  Those neighborhood crack peddlers and their craaaazy hijinks! OH CRACK, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT YOU?
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  BorgrummBigSteve
  5/23/13 10:13pm
  Movie idea!
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Crackstarter Update: You're buying someone a lot of crack