Author: Sean Ongley

  • Crypto payments postponed

    Once again, the flaw of centralized systems reveals itself. That is discontinuity. This website utilizes free and open source software called WordPress, which has a standard commerce plugin called WooCommerce. Both of these systems are very secure, durable, and in some respects decentralized.

    There was a third system involved called CoinPayments, and they are discontinuing services in the United States. Through them as the fiat payment processor via another centralized exchange, I was able to offer payments in a variety of cryptocurrencies. I had selected Bitcoin and Litecoin, of course, and to give Ethereum a bone, Shiba Inu.

    Given that my whole system here is dependent on these outfits continuing to get up in the morning, I have to suspend CoinPayments and seek a new solution.

    The reason provided by CoinPayments has everything to do with the market in the U.S. and its regulatory environment. For instance, the value of one Litecoin is roughly the same as one Mammoth belt. If I receive dollars, I am taxed on the profit of that sale. If I convert crypto to dollars, then I am taxed on capital gains, but all I did was make a sale. This environment was created by centralized banking and secured by federal taxation.

    Held Gear believes in the power of cryptocurrencies toward a people powered economy and that these currencies will be essential when Held open up to international sales.

    Short of returning to a pre-networked, pre-telegraphed world, the likelihood of a non-digital currency dominating our system in the future is almost zero. Whatever it is, it should be networked by the people.

    Looking forward to reaching a solution and reintroducing crypto in a more directly managed way. It might not be possible in the WooCommerce checkout system. I might offer cash mail order and crypto transactions using a form module. We shall see.

  • Day Jawn is our Grand Opening in Philadelphia

    Day Jawn is our Grand Opening in Philadelphia

    Kismet is the first event that I applied to as a local vendor, this coming June 4, Held Gear will have a booth at Day Jawn, put on by FRNDS Studios. It is a pop up mall of local vendors in the ambience of North Portland’s sculpture gardens, with the ambience of great local DJ’s.

    Following the Day Jawn is Night Jawn, at the warehouse on Watts, it keeps the DJ night going as a stand-alone event.

    Speaking for myself as the new owner, Sean, I love music above all, and I love to dance. I love real, gritty spaces, and creative people. I cannot imagine a better event to reintroduce Held in Philly than this event.

    I also cannot imagine a better built-in celebration for myself. I cannot wait to make a bunch of new friends and party together.

    Held Gear is moving fast regardless of any sales that may or may not happen at Day Jawn. I believe we’ll move a good chunk of inventory, but I quickly establishing new and scrap material to establish Held Belts inside main street retailers across the U.S., while maintaining consistent inventory online.

    Sales have been happening. Customers were very gracious about my hiccups along the way. Held is coming back. And I love it.

    Saturday June 04
    3-10 PM
    Day Jawn
    1717 N. Hancock Street, Philadelphia

    Advance Tickets on Eventbrite

  • Production to Resume Soon

    Last week, the deed was done. I met up with Founder Micah (Twin) in Why, Arizona, spending two nights and three days on his wildlife refuge. Proceeds from Held Gear will benefit his community work.

    I captured video and photos every step of the way. The goal is to cut a little documentary together about the experience.

    In addition to more than 50 units counted on his floor, we can nearly double that after I finish building up existing materials for a new batch of Mammoth, Auroch, Groove, and Sky belts.

    I will purchase new classic black belt material from our fabricator and this will be the first design to go back into production after the above mentioned pieces are complete.

    Contacts for scrap belt material will be redeveloped. It turns out the same manufacturer that Twin worked with in Portland, Oregon has another site in the Philadelphia suburbs. This whole thing is kismet.

    These steps will take place over the course of May. First thing is to build and ship what I can, here in Tucson, today. Next is to complete the transfer of assets to Philly. When that is successful, it’s simply a matter of setting up my shop at home and pushing ahead.

    The community around this brand is beginning to develop again. It is wonderful to behold.

    Full inventory on May 6, 2022, on Twin’s floor.

  • On the Use of Cryptocurrency

    Some might believe that the use of cryptocurrency is a burden on the environment and our energy system and that contradicts the intention behind Held Gear.

    The truth of the energy system and environmental consequence from industrial activity is more complicated than a unit of energy in and a unit of carbon out.

    Bitcoin mining especially requires massive energy, this fact has monetized an area of waste that the people have long ignored: The Grid. In addition to energy loss over distance, there is waste at the production facilities.

    Energy production is dissipated for no purpose as capacity overruns market demand. Bitcoin is one solution to this problem, utilizing excess energy to create a universally accessible banking system.

    The American Dollar is oil. It is not separable, in terms of its power, or carbon footprint. That era is changing and Held Gear is committed to a decentralized future, healthy ecosystems, and American manufacturing at once.

    Held is producing something in America with materials from American manufacturers. The material itself is low-impact and can be sourced as waste product in pieces too small to sell in the standard market.

    Bitcoin and Litecoin are the longest surviving proof-of-work networks that are truly decentralized and operated by the public, and it utilizes a waste product: surplus energy. This is what Held is all about and this company is proud to accept these units immediately.

    Additionally, Shiba Inu is accepted at checkout. Although it is a meme coin, it has value being supply-capped with low transaction fees on the Ethereum blockchain.

    All payment solutions for this web shop are facilitated by WooCommerce, with cryptocurrency features provided by CoinPayments tied to a CoinBase wallet.

    If you believe another unit should be accepted, or no crypto should be, please contact us with a strong argument why.