Bitcoin company raises $116M: Report

That tech is the underpinning of the bitcoin cryptocurrency system, and acts as an unchangeable universal record system (that has obvious applications for financial transactions, but could also prove a key backbone for a number of future uses).

Read MoreForget currency, bitcoin's tech is the revolution

One such application could be in the often-foretold "Internet of Things." This is the idea that, in the future, our daily lives will interact with a "network of billions of intelligent devices," according to IBM.

In fact, IBM released an investigation into this concept, concluding that "the 'blockchain' offers a very elegant solution" for many of the logistical issues surrounding the Internet of Things.

Although the company's exact goals are as-yet unknown, 21 co-founder Balaji Srinivasan (who is also a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz) once gave a talk about breaking free from the rule of governments and old institutions by building "a world run by software." (Originally pointed out by Reddit user Noosterdam.)

For more on 21's funding, see The Wall Street Journal's report.

Go here to see the original:

Bitcoin company raises $116M: Report

This is why bitcoin wont leave anytime soon

China's craze for bitcoins has been well-documented over the past year, but a new report highlights just how dominant of a player the country is.

About 80 percent of bitcoin volume is now driven by the Chinese yuan, according to data from Goldman Sachs. The U.S. dollar is the second most used currency for transactions, followed by the euro, the bank said in a new report.

The bank's findings correlate with data from Bitcoinity, a popular website used to track market data. A look at trading volume over the past six months reveals China's yuan accounted for 77 percent of total market share, compared with 19 percent for the greenback and just 1 percent for the euro.

China's high trading activity comes despite recent moves by the People's Bank of China (PBoC) to clamp down on the crypto-currency. The central bank banned financial institutions from bitcoin trading in December after warning that the currency was essentially a vehicle for speculation. Earlier in 2014, the PBoC also took measures to prevent bitcoin companies from gaining access to payment processors.

However, Goldman Sachs believes the mood is gradually improving: "However, in light of a somewhat stabilizing Bitcoin economy in China, a few payment processors have reemerged, such as BTC China's JustPay."

See original here:

This is why bitcoin wont leave anytime soon

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Why It's Only Now Finding the True Value

Don't be fooled when you see a Bitcoin price prediction that calls for a collapse in the digital currency.

Those predictions are mostly based on the bursting of the Bitcoin bubble. Bitcoin prices soared 8,500% in 2013 only to fall 85% by this past January.

But the critics have misread what the charts are saying.

All they see is a long downtrend. It buttresses their belief that Bitcoin has no value and that its demise is inevitable.

But these critics miss several key points. The truth is, now that it's post-bubble, Bitcoin is finally finding its true value...

First, critics typically liken the Bitcoin bubble to the infamous Dutch Tulip Bulb Mania of 1634-1637.

In that case, imported tulip bulbs went from being a somewhat pricey luxury to a wildly speculative investment. Prices soared some 1,500% within a few months. When some started to cash out, the whole thing crashed. In less than a month, prices for the once-prized bulbs fell 99%.

Bitcoin, however, is not that kind of bubble. The tulip bulbs had little practical value; they were just pretty flowers.

Instead, the correct way to view the Bitcoin price trend is to look at the U.S. housing bubble...

From 1999 to 2006, U.S. home prices soared 80%. But housing was never worthless. Homes were simply overpriced.

Link:

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Why It's Only Now Finding the True Value

Comets Lose in OT in Chicago

March 11, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL) Utica Comets CHICAGO, I.L. - The Utica Comets (34-19-6-1) left Allstate Arena with one point after Wednesday night's 2-1 overtime loss to the Chicago Wolves (29-22-6-1). T the one point extended their first place North Division lead to eight.

Alexandre Grenier (1-0-1) scored the Comets only goal of the night, however Sven Baertschi (0-1-1) continued to impress his new teammates as he tallied his fifth assist in four games since joining the Comets at the trade deadline.

The net stayed empty on both ends of the ice until the start of the third stanza. Grenier opened up the scoring just past the five-minute mark after a wrist-shot from just behind the right dot sneaked over the shoulder of Matt Climie for the 1-0 lead. Cal O'Reilly recorded an assist, as well as Sven Baertschi.

At 15:14 the Comets let their lead slip away after Terry Broadhurst found the bouncing puck outside the slot and buried one past Eriksson's blocker side for the equalizer. Joel Edmundson received the primary assist on the play.

Chicago's late third period goal pushed the game to extra time, which panned out for the Wolves as Shane Harper was fed the puck from Brendan Bell for the one-timer at 4:10. With little time to react, the puck flew past Eriksson to give the Wolves' the game-winning goal. Adam Cracknell tallied the helper with his second assist of the game.

The Comets will be staying put as they prepare to face the Chicago Wolves for a second time this Saturday March 14 at 8 p.m. EST.

Three Stars: 1. CHI Matt Climie (Win, 26 Saves) 2. UTI Joacim Eriksson (31 Saves) 3. CHI Adam Cracknell (2 Assists)

Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board... Digg this story Add to Del.icio.us

Read more here:

Comets Lose in OT in Chicago

Five Comets Players Receive All-League Honors

March 9, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) Missouri Comets INDEPENDENCE, Mo (March 9, 2015) - A total of five Comets players were named to the Major Arena Soccer League All-League Teams for the recently completed 2014/15 regular season. League leader Leo Gibson, team captain Vahid Assadpour and defenders John Sosa and Brian Harris received Firs-Team honors. Goalkeeper Danny Waltman leads the Second-Team.

MASL leading scorer Leo Gibson was a unanimous selection at forward. Gibson set league records with 93 points, 45 assists, and 15 power play goals for the undefeated Missouri Comets.

Fellow teammate and Comets team captain Vahid Assadpour was the only player to be named on every ballot, earning First or Second team nods from every voter. The midfielder was fourth in the league with 61 points on 36 goals and 25 assists.

Two of the three defenders on the First Team also came from the Comets. John Sosa, who was third in points among defenders with 37 as well as 14 blocked shots received the most votes at the position. Brian Harris, last year's MISL Playoff MVP, was named to the First Team after a season in which he scored 36 points, blocked 18 shots, and went 1-0 with a 5.52 GAA as a sixth attacker/backup.

Baltimore Blast goalkeeper William Vanzela received the third most First Team votes after Gibson and Assadpour after a season in which he went 14-2 with a record 2.83 GAA. Vanzela's flashy numbers were punctuated by recording four of the league's six shutouts this season.

Joining Vanzela as the co-captains of Baltimore top-rated team defense is defender Pat Healey. Healey was named to the MASL Team of the Week four times and led the 18-2 Blast with 22 assists while adding seven goals and a league-leading 53 blocked shots.

Last, but certainly not least is San Diego Sockers star forward Kraig Chiles, the only returning MASL player on the list. The three-time MVP found his way to the First Team for the fifth straight season after scoring 45 goals and 17 assists for the 16-4 Sockers.

The Second Team is led by Comets goalkeeper Danny Waltman who set a league record with 17 wins, Rochester Lancers forward Mauricio Salles, St. Louis Ambush rookie forward Gordy Gurson, midfielder Tiguinho Dias of the Ontario Fury, Sockers defender Eduardo Velez, and Wichita B-52s defender Alex Moseley.

The Third Team features Sockers forward Nick Perera, Oxford City FC of Texas rookie forward Lucas Totti, Dallas Sidekicks forward Freddy Moojen, Turlock Express/Las Vegas Legends defender Enrique Tovar, and Syracuse Silver Knights defender Nelson Santana. Sockers goalkeeper Chris Toth, who is 39-6 in his career, rounded out the Third Team.

The finalists for Most Valuable Player, Goalkeeper of the Year, Defender of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Rookie of the Year will be announced on March 12. The final award winners will be announced at a time and location during the week of the Ron Newman Cup Finals.

The rest is here:

Five Comets Players Receive All-League Honors

Preview: Comets Open Playoffs on Thursday against the Milwaukee Wave

March 11, 2015 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) Missouri Comets Comets vs. Milwaukee Wave

Date: Thursday, March 12 2015

Time: 7:05 p.m. CT

Arena: Independence Events Center

TV: ESPN3

Gameday: @CometsMASL #BeatTheWave

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (March 15, 2015) - The Missouri Comets begin their quest to repeat as champions when they return to the Independence Events Center eighteen days after wrapping up a perfect 20-0 regular season when they host the Milwaukee Wave. The one-game single elimination playoff match will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN3.

The Comets finished the inaugural season of the Major Arena Soccer League as the only undefeated team. On the other hand, Milwaukee finished the regular season second in the Central Division with an overall record of 13-7.

Both teams will be meeting in the playoffs for the fifth year in a row. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski's team leads the all-time playoff series 6-5. Last year, Missouri took the playoff series 2-1 on their way to winning the MISL title.

In addition, the Comets also lead the all-time series 17-6 after defeating the Wave twice this season. Last November 15, the Comets came back twice to defeat head coach Giuliano Oliviero's team 9-7 in the home opener before leaving the UV Milwaukee Panther Arena with an 8-7 shootout victory on New Year's Eve.

More here:

Preview: Comets Open Playoffs on Thursday against the Milwaukee Wave

The Craziest BASE Cliff Spot in the World (Kjerag) | BASE Tripping | Ep 9 – Video


The Craziest BASE Cliff Spot in the World (Kjerag) | BASE Tripping | Ep 9
Welcome to Kjerag, Norway. The craziest BASE Cliff spot in the world. "BASE Tripping" - The incredible new Base Jump Travel series by Carlos Pedro Briceo! New episodes every Wednesday at...

By: carlospedroBASE

Read more:

The Craziest BASE Cliff Spot in the World (Kjerag) | BASE Tripping | Ep 9 - Video

On the EDGE at Thingvellir: Golden Circle – ICELAND | World Travel Vlog – Video


On the EDGE at Thingvellir: Golden Circle - ICELAND | World Travel Vlog
Subscribe to my channel here: http://goo.gl/y9hQsB Iceland is a magical place with so much beautiful nature all around. One of the top things to do when in Iceland is to drive the golden circle....

By: OneGirlOneSuitcase

See the original post:

On the EDGE at Thingvellir: Golden Circle - ICELAND | World Travel Vlog - Video

U.S. is most popular travel destination for world travelers, survey finds

The U.S. is the most popular destination for world travelers. But if money were not a concern, more travelers would rather visit Australia, according to a new survey on the global travel economy.

The survey of more than 44,000 travelers from around the world also found that 67% of U.S. travelers plan to take an international leisure trip this year, up from 50% who reported taking such a trip last year.

Still, the travel budget of the average American traveler is expected to be $8,700 this year, about the same as last year, according to the online survey by the travel website TripAdvisor.

The U.S. was the most popular destination for world travelers in 2014 and for travel plans in 2015, according to the survey. But when asked which destination they would visit if money were no object, Australia took the top spot, followed by the U.S. and Italy.

The cost of travel may be going up. Half of all hotels globally and 59% of U.S. hotels said they plan to increase their room rates this year, with more than one-third of global accommodations and 42% of U.S. hotels planning to raise rates by up to 10%, according to the survey.

For the 40% of global travelers who said they planned to spend more in 2015 on travel, the top reasons were "going somewhere on my wish list" and "my family deserves it."

To read more about travel, tourism and the airline industry, follow me on Twitter at @hugomartin.

Read more:

U.S. is most popular travel destination for world travelers, survey finds

World Responsible Tourism Awards and World Travel Market Announce Regional Awards Programme

Brighton, UK (PRWEB UK) 11 March 2015

The Awards, celebrating 12 years at WTM London - the worlds largest event for responsible tourism - this November, is expanding its partnership with World Travel Market portfolio events across the globe in 2015. The first of the regional programme of Awards is the African Responsible Tourism Awards 2015 at WTM Africa, with the inaugural winners to be announced at the event in Cape Town on 16th April.

WTM Portfolio, Director, Craig Moyes, said: The World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM have been a great success at World Travel Market over the past 12 years. The awards play a key role in World Responsible Tourism Day the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world.

The examples of responsible tourism best practice by companies of all sizes are a testament to how serious the industry takes responsible tourism and what can be achieved if these examples are shared. Im delighted that WTM Africa will be hosting The African Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM Africa.

Tourism is central to the continents economy, which makes it all the more vital that the African travel and tourism industry acts responsibly to preserve and protect its unrivalled natural resources. WTM Africa is the perfect platform to highlight the best practice in the African travel industry.

Justin Francis, Managing Director of Responsible Travel which founded and organises the annual World Responsible Tourism Awards says The World Responsible Tourism Awards have always been global in reach, but together with World Travel Market we're excited to be bringing our trademark rigour to the next generation of Responsible Tourism Awards programmes.

With our new regional range of Awards, we have the chance for local organisers to lead the search for the most inspirational responsible tourism experiences in their destinations. Its a substantial strengthening of the whole programme from the ground up and you never know, you may see one or two of the regional winners sharing the limelight at our global Awards in London later this year!"

The inaugural African Responsible Tourism Awards have already generated significant participation across Africa, with the judging process already well underway. Heidi Van Der Watt, organiser, comments The number of nominations for the African Responsible Tourism Awards far outstripped our expectations. A full 112 nominations from 16 countries, truly covering Africa from north-south and east-west were submitted. Our heartfelt thanks to partners on the continent who helped us to get the word out and the nominations rolling in.

As part of the World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM family, the judging process for the African Responsible Tourism Awards is Chaired by Harold Goodwin, Professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University, Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, and Chair of the main World Responsible Tourism Awards judging panel since their inception.

Going forward the International Awards programme will continue to expand with events planned for WTM Latin America in 2016.

Read more here:

World Responsible Tourism Awards and World Travel Market Announce Regional Awards Programme