is there anything being done to help restore it ?

https://youtu.be/IXOoZ8Zd2eA?t=1105

This discussion about cashless societies is describing a very negative future if allowed to grow without alternatives..

The quickly approaching dangers of centralization of payment systems....

Why isn't a Bitshares marketing worker or the Foundation or Cryptonomex promoting the hell out of  BTS as the antidote ?!

BTS marketcap should be at least $5-6 billion even in its current state!   

Where's a smart whale when you need one.... geez!

Is Bitspark in Mexico?

         www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/02/11/691467587/americans-seek-cheaper-meds-in-mexico

Thanks for the response and the link to instructional video..Things are much clearer now..

I think I'm going to use a chunk of my income tax refund to invest in BTS,      The technology has got to be worth more than
a nickel and has more utility than "cryptoKitties"

This bear market.. just as much as a US government "partial" shutdown has to end sooner or later..

Given the outrageous prices of prescription medications in the USA...I've wondered why hasn't some entrepreneur developed
a dApp that would allow users to use bitUSD or other bitasset bitPeso etc. to pay to their regular online discount pharmacy..not only would they save money on drug prices but also transaction costs, FX fees, etc..and the pharmacies would save on costs as well..

I think this is the kind of "Use Case" that could raise BTS market profile to the level of prominence that BTC and ETH enjoy even though it's obvious they're use for consumer payments is limited by transaction speed..

Seriously?   And theoretically who would they sell them to?

It's not like every transaction on the BTS blockchain isn't transaparent


I think you should read some of Dan Larimer's writings..

https://steemit.com/eos/@dan/in-defense-of-consortium-blockchains


It's one thing to engage in anonymous hacking and stealing bitcoins  or hijacking systems with ransomware e.g WannaCry

but stealing BTS  in broad daylight...?          Not happening...

If you want to dig into something that's really happening...

Look into the "Tethers Crew"  ....they've been pumping EOS with phantom tethers on Bitfinex for weeks  !

Would be also nice to get a comment from Stan on this whole situation and what's up with the billion hero campaign, and maybe also suggest the right marketing team for us

I agree..

since Stan has some hollywood connections..

why not take a chance and reach out to Ashton Kutcher....

He did a pretty good job for Airbnb...

A worker proposal should fund a contract for Kutcher to become a Bitshares promoter, evangelist,
I'm sure Stan could provide a 3 day crash course on the beauty and magnificence of BTS
with periodic refreshers.   I'm sure other ideas would emerge pretty quickly thereafter.

And everyone on the BTS richlist could throw a bonus his way into a dedicated multi-sig bitUSD account that would be
released and become his the day BTS reaches  $10 or more!

Godfather ?    O Godfather, Where Art Thou?  :-) 

Why isn't the bitUSD:BTS market also similarly subject to a raised settlement offset?  maybe 2%, 3% ??

I've been observing that market all week and the settlement order book will be getting as long as a Dead Sea scroll pretty soon.

If bitUSD sellers have this "discounted escape valve" then it will artificially reduce BTS buy pressure on the DEX and I wonder if therefore this can be considered real "price discovery"... (regardless of the manipulations taking place on Poloniex)..  If everyone ( except CEX and predatory whales ) wants to see the universe of BTS expand to rival BTC and Ethereum, etc.  then this market mechanism that is unique to the BTS exchange
has to be managed in an effcient and fair manner so as to not disadvantage one party and discourage the creation of bitAssets and also  leads to a chronic undersupply.

From the perspective of a shorter it wouldn't be reckless to open a few short positions this past week, but even though it seems like a reasonable bet, is it really worth the risk that the shorter could become entangled in some mercenary whale's huge dump of forced settled bitUSD?

If I wanted to short I would have to maintain a defacto collateral ratio of 400% - 600%. if I wanted to get a good night's sleep.   
The situation we have now is a rather frustrating "chicken and egg" problem subject to the machinations of any mercenary whales in a thin market
and furthermore with the cumulative amount of bitUSD removed from circulation continues to stymie the growth of the bitUSD ecosphere.

Looking at the Settlement Order book....the amounts range from a low 10.14988 bts  to an avaricious 186,801 bts, which as of the moment
of this writing is =  bitUSD 1.086 - 19,997..  Why would anyone want force settle for a $1.09 worth of BTS !! 

Obviously under current market conditions and trading volumes the 24 hour settlement delay is not a sufficient disincentive...I always thought that forced settlement was to be used only under some sort of dire circumstances or market imbalance ?  Did bytemaster ever say why the delay was 24 hours and not maybe 36 or 48?

So I think at the very least the Witnesses need to stay on top of this and provide a more accurate feed price that actually reflects the realities of what's going on in the markets and if not they should be voted out because they are  undermining the rate of BTS value appreciation and the DEX cannot be considered as operating at an INDUSTRIAL grade performance level ready for PRIME time adoption by the rest of the world.

 With BTC busting through the $8k mark...is it realistic to think that any trader would short into existence any significant amount of bitBTC
if he knows that he could be prematurely forced to close his position ?! even though he was willing to take a ri$k that a BTC correction would be coming in the near future? 

This situation is only good for SUPER ASTRO MEGA-WHALES....I on the other hand need my sleep.!