Bitcoin runner-up Litecoin emerges as low-price challenger

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Make way, bitcoin: A competing digital currency is angling for the spotlight.

Merchants and investors are taking notice of litecoin, pitched by its developers as cheaper to generate, more plentiful and easier to use for small transactions than bitcoin. While prices for both have slid since a surge late last year, litecoins remains about 490 percent higher than six months ago, compared with about 140 percent for bitcoin. Daily litecoin transactions also have climbed faster.

The total value of litecoins available for use ranks second only to bitcoins, according to CoinMarketCap, a website tracking more than 200 digital currencies. That status has helped make litecoin an obvious alternative for investors and enthusiasts seeking new opportunities to profit from virtual money.

Litecoin right now is where bitcoin was the same time last year, Michael Curry, co-founder of Canadian digital-currency exchange Vault of Satoshi, said in an interview. As people are becoming more familiar with bitcoin, they are starting to see there are other coins out there.

Bitcoins jumped from about $13 at the start of last year to more than $1,200 in December, then slid to about $490 late last week, according to CoinDesk, which tracks prices across key exchanges. Litecoins, which surpassed $48 in November, was trading for about $12 last week, according to data from exchange BTC-e.

The average number of daily transactions in litecoins this month is 155 percent greater than Octobers level, according to CoinDesk data. That compares with a 19 percent increase for bitcoins. Daily transactions in bitcoins this month still outnumber those in litecoins almost sevenfold, the data show.

Technology enthusiasts and venture capitalists are pitching digital currencies as fast and cheap alternatives to traditional financial systems, in which middlemen such as networks, merchant acquirers and banks take a cut. Backers also argue that instruments such as bitcoin may be of use to people and businesses in countries with unstable currencies.

Litecoins are drawing notice in part because they can be mined more cheaply than bitcoins. The process uses computers to solve software problems and unlock new digital coins. While bitcoin speculators compete with increasingly expensive machines, litecoins were designed to be efficiently mined with consumer-grade hardware, even if some miners prefer powerful processors.

Sam Cole, co-founder of KnCMiner, one of the biggest mining companies, said equipment used for mining litecoins and similarly designed alternative currencies now accounts for 60 percent of sales.

The maximum number of litecoins that can be mined is four times more than that for bitcoins, potentially making them more attractive to users and miners. Miners have more rewards to go around, while consumers may see litecoins as more affordable, even if bitcoins are typically spent in pieces.

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Bitcoin runner-up Litecoin emerges as low-price challenger

Workington Comets owner: We can win Premier title

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Last updated at 12:45, Saturday, 26 April 2014

Workington Comets owner Laura Morgan is still tipping her side for Premier League glory despite an indifferent start to the season.

Laura Morgan

Comets open their Premier League campaign tonight (7pm start) with a tough match against Peterborough Panthers at Derwent Park.

Workington have won three meetings and lost four this season.

The match will see the return of ex-comet Richard Lawson who will guest for Peterborough in place of the injured Ryan Fisher.

Losses against Edinburgh and Berwick in the League Cup means that Comets are unlikely to progress to the semi-finals by finishing as the best placed runner-up out of the three groups.

But Morgan, pictured above, believes that her side stands a good chance of being among the top teams in the Premier League this season.

She said: Admittedly its taken us a long time to gel together and for everyone to be firing on all cylinders, but some of our riders havent had a lot of track time.

The League Cup is an important trophy, but the Premier League is what we are looking for. We are hopeful that the boys are ready. I am still confident and I still believe.

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Workington Comets owner: We can win Premier title

Workington Comets owners says: We can win Premier title

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Last updated at 12:45, Saturday, 26 April 2014

Workington Comets owner Laura Morgan is still tipping her side for Premier League glory despite an indifferent start to the season.

Laura Morgan

Comets open their Premier League campaign tonight (7pm start) with a tough match against Peterborough Panthers at Derwent Park.

Workington have won three meetings and lost four this season.

The match will see the return of ex-comet Richard Lawson who will guest for Peterborough in place of the injured Ryan Fisher.

Losses against Edinburgh and Berwick in the League Cup means that Comets are unlikely to progress to the semi-finals by finishing as the best placed runner-up out of the three groups.

But Morgan, pictured above, believes that her side stands a good chance of being among the top teams in the Premier League this season.

She said: Admittedly its taken us a long time to gel together and for everyone to be firing on all cylinders, but some of our riders havent had a lot of track time.

The League Cup is an important trophy, but the Premier League is what we are looking for. We are hopeful that the boys are ready. I am still confident and I still believe.

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Workington Comets owners says: We can win Premier title

Baseball roundup: Comets cruise past Thunder

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The Newman Comets swept a doubleheader Saturday in Savanna, backing up a 10-1 win over West Carroll in the opener with a 13-8 victory in Game 2 as the home team.

Alex Buhler had three hits and an RBI in Game 1, and Brandon Burke had two hits and two RBIs. Michael Ely, A.J. Sharp, and Marcel Bauby all added RBIs, and Quincy Coomes got the win on the mound.

Buhler had three more hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in two more runs in the nightcap. Ely doubled and knocked in two, while Dillan Heffelfinger added two hits and an RBI. Ricky Rank drove in a run, and Matt Wagenecht picked up the win.

The Comets scored seven runs in the fourth inning of the first game, then had an eight-run third in the second game.

Oregon splits at home: The Hawks rallied to beat North Boone 14-13 in the opener, then lost the nightcap 10-0 in six innings.

Tyler Blume had four hits, including a home run, and drove in five runs in the opener. Sawyer Reynolds added two doubles and four RBIs, and Adam Bettner had four hits and drove in three runs. Josh Cook added two RBIs, and Oregon scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to win.

The Hawks were limited to two hits in Game 2.

Missiles split at home: Milledgeville beat South Beloit 6-2, then dropped the back end of an NUIC East doubleheader at MillWheel Park, 7-6.

Jordan Harris allowed one hit and two unearned runs in six innings, and added two hits at the plate. Zach Herin had four RBIs, with two of them coming on a pair of sacrifice flies.

Herin added three hits and an RBI in the nightcap, while Devin Biller, Kameron DawTyne, Garrett Kness and Blake Kappes each had an RBI; Kness also drove in a run in Game 1. Kappes took the loss in relief of DawTyne.

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Baseball roundup: Comets cruise past Thunder

Easier visas aim to attract more Chinese

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As China is expected to surpass the United States as the world's largest travel and tourism economy in 2027, experts and industry insiders expect visa barriers targeting Chinese tourists to be eased in the near future.

One of the major inhibitors of the tourism industry is the fact that 70 per cent of tourists still need to go to an embassy to visit a foreign destination, said David Scowsill, president and chief executive of the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Yang Jinsong, a professor at the China Tourism Academy who focuses on international tourism, said that visas are still the major hindrance to Chinese outbound tourism, the growth of which would be inestimable without the visa barriers.

"However, thanks to the tremendous growth of China's outbound tourism in recent years, an increasing number of countries are extending an olive branch, by reducing the visa application process for Chinese applicants or waiving the visa requirement in an attempt to attract more Chinese tourists," Yang said. "No one wants to be left behind as China's economic pie is being carved up."

Despite all the concerns, including overstays, terrorism, illegal immigration, considering the potential economic contribution, it is an inescapable trend that visas to most countries will be waived in the future, he said.

"As much of the growth of the tourism and travel industry is coming out of Asia, especially China, more countries will come up with easier visa policies, including e-visas instead of interviews, and reciprocity among nations, to further eliminate visa barriers and make travel easier."

There were more than 98 million outbound visits by Chinese in 2013, and the country's tourism market will exceed more than $2 trillion five years later, Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang said on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit in Sanya, Hainan province.

The boom in Chinese outbound travel is changing the global tourism landscape. Chinese travelers have emerged as the largest spenders in worldwide outbound tourism, said Richard Solomons, global chief executive of the InterContinental Hotels Group, a multinational lodging company headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Many countries, including the UK, the United States, France, New Zealand, Malaysia and Thailand, have eased their visa procedures for Chinese travelers, either through waivers or reducing the red tape involved.

"As the whole world is competing to welcome Chinese tourists, governments are being more progressive in trying to come up with loosened visa application procedures," said Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive officer of Marriot International Inc, a leading global hospitality company.

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Easier visas aim to attract more Chinese

Travel: Revisiting NYC World's Fair, 50 years later

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Beth J. Harpaz/The Associated Press A small display of artifacts from the 1964 World's Fair is on display inside the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Park in Corona, Queens. Beth J. Harpaz/The Associated Press A small display of artifacts from the 1964 World's Fair is on display inside the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Park in Corona, Queens.AP

By BETH J. HARPAZ

April 27, 2014 12:00 AM

You can just barely see them through the window of the No. 7 subway as it rattles into the elevated station in Corona, Queens: a gigantic steel sphere, two rocket ships, and towers that appear to be capped by flying saucers.

These unusual landmarks are among a number of attractions still standing from the 1964 World's Fair, which opened in Flushing Meadows Corona Park 50 years ago, with marvels ranging from microwave ovens to Disney's "It's a Small World" ride to Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.

But visiting the area today is as much about 21st century Queens as it is a walk down memory lane. Many of Queens' contemporary cultural institutions like the Queens Museum and the New York Hall of Science grew out of fair attractions and incorporate original fair exhibits.

Other relics are stupendous in their own right, like the Unisphere, a 12-story steel globe so glorious to behold, you almost feel like you're seeing Earth from outer space. There's also a modern zoo, an antique carousel and outdoor sculptures.

Here's a guide to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair on a visit to Queens.

On weekends, Flushing Meadows Corona Park is packed with people from the dozens of ethnic groups that populate Queens, speaking many languages, eating food from around the world and playing soccer with a seriousness of purpose often found among those who grew up with the sport. That makes for "a wonderful, unique experience," said Janice Melnick, Flushing Meadows Corona Park administrator.

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Travel: Revisiting NYC World's Fair, 50 years later

18 jobs for people who love to travel

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Want to get more travel in your life? You might want to look into one of these jobs. Source: Supplied

WHO says you have to trade in your suitcase for a briefcase and stay chained to a desk?

Plenty of employment opportunities require frequent travel, and one of them might be right for you. Dont wait until youre retired to see the world; look into one of these 18 jobs that allow you to travel while you work.

Flight attendant

It may be the most obvious travel-related job, but its also one of the most accessible: You dont need a specialised degree to become a flight attendant, and most major airlines only require prior customer service experience and certification. The hours are frequently erratic, and the work isnt always easy, but youll get a glimpse of hundreds of cities across the globe during your career. A bonus perk? Free or discounted flights for you and your family.

Au pair

Do you work well with children and know a second language? If so, becoming an au pair might be a good option for you. Au pairs live with a host family in a foreign country and provide childcare services such as babysitting and assistance with schoolwork. Youll receive a small salary on top of your room and board, but you also get to fully immerse yourself in another culture as an extended member of a family.

Its an obvious one, but being a flight attendant is an easy way to see lots of different countries. Source: News Corp Australia

Peace Corps volunteer

As the title volunteer might indicate, you wont exactly be making six figures working with the Peace Corps. But if you dont mind living on a budget, you can become part of a worthwhile organisation that lets you travel the world and make a difference at the same time. Assignments typically last two years and involve working to advance education, health care, and economic and agricultural development in a community abroad. The Peace Corps also provides housing, health benefits and student loan deferment not to mention an excellent resum talking point.

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18 jobs for people who love to travel

Non discrimination in sharing spirituality – ISKCON’s contributions to India Part 3 – Video

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Non discrimination in sharing spirituality - ISKCON #39;s contributions to India Part 3
His Grace Chaitanya Charan Das talks about the contribution by ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) - founder acharya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

By: ISKCON Desire Tree

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Non discrimination in sharing spirituality - ISKCON's contributions to India Part 3 - Video