Federal Reserve "Bitcoin Boon" — Bigger than Facebook — Bitcoin Costume Contest Update! – Video

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Federal Reserve "Bitcoin Boon" -- Bigger than Facebook -- Bitcoin Costume Contest Update!
2014 Bitcoin Costume Contest! Vote for your favorites! http://www.worldcryptonetwork.com/2014/05/2014-bitcoin-costume-contest.html Join the MadBitcoins Patreon for behind the scenes content!...

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Federal Reserve "Bitcoin Boon" -- Bigger than Facebook -- Bitcoin Costume Contest Update! - Video

Darkcoin, the Shadowy Cousin of Bitcoin, Is Booming

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Illustration: WIRED

Someone out there likes anonymous money.

In only a month, the little-known bitcoin alternative known as Darkcoin has rocketed nearly tenfold in valuefrom around 75 cents a coin to almost seven dollars. Its selling point: Darkcoin offers far greater anonymity than bitcoin, mixing up users transactions so that its incredibly difficult to trace a payment to a person. And though few have yet to accept that more-anonymous coin for actual goods and services, the promise of Darkcoins privacy features seems to have sparked a miniature boom. Its one of the fastest growing among the wave of cryptocurrencies thats followed bitcoins success, with the total value of its combined coins topping out at nearly $30 million.

Darkcoin, supporters argue, serves a real privacy need. Despite its reputation for being more anonymous than traditional money, the bitcoin network actually allows anyone to see every transaction on a public accounting ledger known as the blockchain. Users often have to take extra steps, like mixing their coins in a laundry service, to prevent those addresses from being tied to their identity by any government or corporation that wants to snoop.

Darkcoin adds an extra layer of privacy by automatically combining any transaction its users make with those of two other usersa feature it calls Darksendso that anyone analyzing the blockchain has a harder time figuring out where a particular users money ended up. A large community believes that the way bitcoins blockchain is designed is a problem, says Evan Duffield, the 32-year old Arizona-based software developer who launched Darkcoin in January. Darkcoin has this anonymity aspect to it, which is attractive to a lot of people.

Darkcoins exchange rate with the dollar and market cap over the last month. Credit: Coinmarketcap.com

Darkcoins uncanny growth, of course, may also be fueled by speculators who see an opportunity to jump on a hot commodity. And given how wildly its appreciated in its short life, theres no guarantee it wont crash just as fast.

But Darkcoins price increases may also be linked to real changes in its features, says Kristov Atlas, a bitcoin consultant and Darkcoin fan. He argues that its value comes in part from its unique properties as a payment system, not just as an investment vehicle. The currencys first big price jump occurred in late April, for instance, when its Darksend privacy trick was initially switched on for real transactions. Its not purely a speculative bubble, Atlas says. Theres some solid indications the market price is currently based on the fundamental value of the coin.

Darkcoins price may in fact be manipulated by investors, says Allen Price, a trader in the bitcoin alternatives known as altcoins. But he says its already outlasted his expectation that its price growth was caused by a pump-and-dump scam. I had sort of smugly stood to the side waiting for the big, inevitable crash with an I told you so ready, says Price. But no crash ever really came, and its been kind of an ongoing success for investors.

Much of the currencys more recent price increase, says Duffield, may stem from its system of financially rewarding users whose machines serve as the coordinators of its Darksend transactions. Anyone can become make their computer into one of those coordinators, which Duffield calls master nodes, by proving that theyve paid a thousand darkcoins. In exchange, they reap ten percent of all new coins added to the Darkcoin network, which are distributed among the master nodes as an incentive for their work. Duffield says Darkcoiners seeking those rewards created 170 master nodes in the last month, tying up 170,000 darkcoins, a number that significantly decreased the currencys supply and has likely helped raise its price.

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Darkcoin, the Shadowy Cousin of Bitcoin, Is Booming

Comets win clash at the top

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Eastern's softball squad beat Western 3-2 Tuesday night at Greentown in a pivotal Mid-Indiana Conference game that puts the Class 2A No. 7 Comets in the drivers' seat for the championship.

Western led 2-1 through four innings but Eastern pitcher Abby Oyler plated the tying run with a single in the bottom of the fifth, and Rachel Wingate singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Both Western (16-5) and Eastern (17-4) entered the game with 5-0 league marks. Eastern clinched at least a share of its fourth straight MIC title with the win. The Comets face Hamilton Heights today for a chance to win the title outright.

"It was two senior-laden, experienced teams really playing hard against each other," Eastern coach Jerry Haines said. "It was really a nerve-wracking game. Every time we thought we should be scoring, somehow we didn't get it. All three of our runs basically were using walks, sacrifices, a passed ball, anything we could get."

After taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Comets just had to take care of business with a clean inning in the seventh. Abby Oyler made sure of that.

"Abby came up there in the seventh when she had that lead, she struck out their fourth and fifth batters, which are really good batters," Haines said.

Abby Oyler, who finished with two singles at the plate, threw all seven for the win with seven hits, two walks an earned run and six strikeouts.

On the Western side, Erika Beeler took the loss, throwing all seven with five hits, six walks, two earned runs and four strikeouts. On offense, Kiersten Durbin had two singles, including an RBI base knock, Abby Renken doubled, and Haleigh Conaway had an RBI single.

"We had a lot of chances we left 11 runners on base, left the bases loaded twice," Western coach Jim Clouse said. "I've been coaching for nine years and I've watched [the Comets] win games like this over and over. It's something they've thrived on for years. It was really the kind of game you would expect with two undefeated teams in the conference playing each other."

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Comets win clash at the top

Softball: Comets beat Missiles at their own game

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By Ty Reynolds treynolds@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5554

LANARK The last 2 years, the Milledgeville Missiles have made runs to the Class 1A state softball tournament because of several factors not the least of which was taking advantage of opportunities their opponents presented them with.

But the defending 1A state champions got a taste of their own medicine Tuesday afternoon in the semifinals of the Eastland Regional.

The Newman Comets made Missile mental and physical miscues hurt in a 6-5 victory in Lanark.

"They did what we've been doing the last 2 years," Milledgeville senior Courtney Swalve said. "It felt like they had the answer for every mistake we made, and they took advantage of everything we gave them."

Whether it was taking an extra base the Comets did that five times in the first three innings or finding the gaps in the Missiles defense thanks to some perfectly-placed hits, Newman (14-11) put the pressure on Milledgeville (20-7) throughout the game, and responded better in nearly every situation.

"We put up a great fight today, and it was an all-around game," Newman junior Julie Hurd said. "Our outfield made some nice plays, our infield got the job done, and both our pitchers threw strikes. We also hit the ball well, and hit it in a lot of places where they weren't."

Facing a 2-0 deficit before their first at-bat, the Comets took the momentum back quickly. Hurd stole home on a bases-loaded pickoff attempt at second in the first inning, then Newman took its first lead on Hurd's two-out, two-run triple to left in the second.

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the third, the Comets sent nine hitters to the plate and got an RBI single from Lakyn Waldschmidt and a run-scoring fielder's choice from Sam Miller before Hurd drew a bases-loaded walk.

"The intangibles are what won us this game," Newman coach JD Waldschmidt said. "We took advantage of every opportunity laid out in front of us, and that's an area we've seen tremendous improvement in throughout the season."

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Softball: Comets beat Missiles at their own game

Blue Devils rock Comets

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May 21, 2014 Blue Devils rock Comets Top-seeded Bismarck-Henning advances to regional title game

BY CHAD DARE cdare@dancomnews.com The Commercial-News The Commercial-News Wed May 21, 2014, 01:59 AM CDT

GIBSON CITY Every senior knows that any postseason game could be their last.

Bismarck-Henning catcher and leadoff hitter Brittney Ribbe used that as her motivation on Tuesday afternoon.

For the first-time in her career, Ribbe blasted a leadoff homer off Oakwoods Kylie Harden and the top-seeded Blue Devils rode that momentum to an 8-run first inning en route to a 15-2 victory over the Comets in the IHSA Class 2A Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Regional semifinal.

I told everyone on this team that I didnt want this to be my last high school softball game, said Ribbe, who went 3-for-3 with a walk in four plate appearances in the five-inning game.

I felt it coming off the bat and I knew it was a home run, Ribbe said. It was a great feeling rounding those bases, especially being a senior.

Ribbe also had a two-run single to right in the 8-run first inning for the Blue Devils, which improve to 18-7 overall and they advance to Saturdays 11 a.m. regional championship against either Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley or Hoopeston Area.

The Falcons and Cornjerkers will meet in a regional semifinal contest today in Gibson City.

We came out really strong, Ribbe said. We played them twice during the season (Bismarck-Henning won both meetings), but I still felt we needed to get a lead against them.

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Blue Devils rock Comets

Hawkes Bay wows world travel industry

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Hawkes Bay wows world travel industry

This week Hawkes Bay has been showcased to the international travel industry at TRENZ (Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand) held in Auckland. TRENZ officially opened on Sunday evening and was followed by three days of meetings and over 55 one on one appointments between buyers and sellers.

Managed by the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand (TIANZ) TRENZ brings together approx 900 International Travel and Tourism Buyers from 31 countries representing traditional and emerging visitor markets, New Zealand tourism operators (Exhibitors) and domestic and international media. It is the biggest tourism showcase in New Zealand.

Hawkes Bay Tourism led the regions representation at TRENZ, alongside local tourism operators, Art Deco Trust, The Crown Hotel, Takaro Trails and Napier City Council who made their debut at the show to present Kennedy Park Top 10, MTG Hawkes Bay and The National Aquarium.

All Hawkes Bay exhibitor stands were branded with banners displaying iconic Hawkes Bay images with the Hawkes Bay brand and Get me to Hawkes Bay tagline. Fresh Hawkes Bay Royal Gala apples from Apollo were given out to give TRENZ goers a taste of Hawkes Bay.

Hawkes Bay Tourism General Manager Annie Dundas said TRENZ is a key business opportunity to showcase Hawkes Bay tourism product and services to targeted travel buyers to negotiate contracts for the coming seasons. Hawkes Bay has also successfully hosted 14 international travel buyers in the region prior to TRENZ, with another group of 12 due to visit post event which is invaluable as it allows them to experience all the wonderful things Hawkes Bay has to offer first hand.

Michele Cole said We had a steady stream of quality appointments which we are confident will lead to increased business for The Crown and the overall Hawkes Bay tourism industry ends

Scoop Media

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Hawkes Bay wows world travel industry

"Lightfields" Aurora Borealis seen from the International Space Station – Video

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"Lightfields" Aurora Borealis seen from the International Space Station
Song made by Fredrik Westergren using Reason 7.0, REAPER, and Garritan Instant Orchestra Amazing videos from the ISS courtesy of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space...

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"Lightfields" Aurora Borealis seen from the International Space Station - Video