The City of New York has reached a $5-million US settlement with the family of a man gunned down in 1986 because he was mistaken for a mobster with the same name, fallout from one of the most stunning police corruption cases in the city’s history.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Alexis Tsipiros, new Greek PM, tamps down rhetoric on bailout
A day after Greece appeared on a collision course with its creditors, new radical left Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has tamped down the rhetoric by vowing to pay off debts and not act unilaterally.
Whitney Houston's daughter revived after being rushed to hospital
Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only daughter of late pop star Whitney Houston and singer Bobby Brown, was found unresponsive in a bathtub at her Georgia home on Saturday, but she was revived after being rushed to a hospital, police say.
Seahawks talked of Super Bowl repeat a year ago
Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks will face Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl with a chance to do something that, for many reasons, was thought to be too tall a task in today’s NFL: win a second consecutive championship.
Cumberbatch calls for pardon of gay men convicted of 'gross indecency'
Oscar-nominated actor Benedict Cumberbatch has joined others in calling for the British government to pardon gay and bisexual men convicted in the past under the defunct “gross indecency” law.
Vatican 'sexy sell' video hits sour note with women
A new Vatican outreach initiative to listen to women hit a sour note before it even got off the ground: The actress in its internet promo video came under such ridicule that it was quickly taken down.
NASA launches Earth-observing satellite
A NASA satellite lifted off early Saturday on a three-year mission to track the amount of water locked in soil, which may help residents in low-lying regions brace for floods or farmers prepare for drought conditions.
ISIS deadline passes without prisoner swap for hostages from Japan, Jordan
The fates of a Japanese journalist and Jordanian military pilot remain unknown, several hours after the deadline set by the Islamic militants holding them captive passed with no word on a possible prisoner swap ISIS demanded by ISIS.
Balloon pilots land safely in Mexico after trip across Pacific
Two pilots in a helium-filled balloon landed safely off the coast of Mexico early Saturday after an audacious, nearly 11,200-kilometre-long trip across the Pacific Ocean that shattered two long-standing records for ballooning.
Boko Haram in Nigeria targeted with African Union troops
African leaders have agreed to send 7,500 troops to fight the Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria, an African Union official said Saturday.
U.S. airstrike kills ISIS militant who worked with chemical weapons
U.S. military officials say a mid-level Islamic State militant who specialized in chemical weapons was killed in an U.S. airstrike near Mosul in Iraq last week.
Tens of thousand rally for Spain's anti-austerity party before elections
A new political party held a mass protest in Madrid today, calling on politicians to serve people, not private interests. The Podemos party has surged ahead in recent opinion polls, with calls to write off Spain’s burgeoning debt.
Germany's Merkel says she doesn't see another Greek debt cut
Germany’s chancellor has ruled out cancelling any of Greece’s debt. Angela Merkel says banks and creditors have already made substantial cuts for the troubled eurozone country.
Sarah Palin's scorched-earth plan for the GOP
The former Republican shooting star bombed in Iowa, but her challenge to the party to move more boldly rightward has some serious allies, Neil Macdonald writes.
Ukrainian soldiers, pro-Russian rebels in intense fighting overnight
Fifteen Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in fighting against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said on Saturday.
Bitui.io tipping platform
Bitui.io is a tipping platform for weibo/wechat SNS community, which right now supports Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Feathercoin, Peercoin, Blackcoin and some other coins based on bitcoin code.
Every weibo user can distribute coins to those retwit by using bitui automatically, and also the user can send coins to anyone he/she specified. The users can login bitui.io to withdraw/sell the tips. Until now, several startup companies, dogecoin community, Peercoin community and blackcoin community and many users have used such a service from bitui.io. It’s very successful and has profound effect in the Chinese crypto community.
Guugll Search
http://www.guugll.eu/bitui-io-tipping-platform/
$100 Worth Of Litecoin A Year Ago
Using the Forbes time travel machine, we went back to last January and dropped Benjamins on a slew of investments, including gold, Google and Bitcoin.
We thought the best choice was Bitcoin, which was worth 50 times as much by year end, but we were wrong. The best way to spend a c-note on January 1, 2013 was on competing cryptocurrency Litecoin. Worth seven cents then, its value increased along with Bitcoin’s, reaching $23 by December, or 328 times its initial value. That means a $100 investment in Litecoin last year would be worth $30,000 now.
Litecoin is one of many alternative cryptocurrencies — or altcoins — that have popped up in Bitcoin’s wake. The creators of at least 70 different altcoins took Bitcoin’s source code and tweaked it. They created BBQCoin and Coinye — much to Kanye West’s disapproval — and Dogecoin — based on a meme — and Stalwartbucks — as a journalistic exercise from Business Insider. The Washington Post’s Timothy Lee has a nice explainer on why people are creating these. Some are serious; some are not. But that’s the thing that makes people so skeptical about digital currencies: they’re pretty easy to create out of thin air. They remain as valuable as thin air until people invest faith in them, by loading code onto their computers and participating in their networks, or by spending actual money to buy them.
Litecoin, created two years ago, is one of the more serious altcoins, with a $600 million market cap. The infrastructure around it is not nearly as developed as that around Bitcoin, with few exchangers and processors and far fewer sites devoted to analyzing its activity and market fluctuations. BTC-e, an exchange based in Bulgaria, is one of the few institutional places where you can buy it. But optimistic speculators are hoping for the same spectacular returns from LTC as BTC given the way it’s following in big brother Bitcoin’s footsteps. Like its big bro, Litecoin is making a name for itself initially by hanging out on the corners of black markets. The Target credit card thieves, for example, were willing to take it in exchange for stolen financial deets. And like Bitcoin, it’s subject to dramatic thefts, criminal schemes, and excitement around merchants accepting it online.
“It’s a year and a half behind Bitcoin in age and maturity,” says Litecoin creator Charlie Lee, 36, who was at Google when he released the Litecoin code to the world in October 2011, but is now an engineer for Coinbase, a Bitcoin start-up in San Francisco. “Litecoin is the silver to Bitcoin’s gold. It has taken 2nd place in digital currency because it was created early and it was fair.”
Litecoin is designed to produce more coins than Bitcoin (84 million total) and to create them four times as fast. Transactions (and the rewards to miners who facilitate those transactions) happen every 2.5 minutes, rather than every 10 minutes as with Bitcoin. Lee replaced Bitcoin’s hash-based mining process with a scrypt-based one that’s (hopefully) harder to ramp up with specially designed computing equipment, in the hopes that Litecoin won’t have the hardware arms race that’s happening in Bitcoin right now. That race was recently addressed in a BusinessWeek cover story, which was fronted by a unicorn scene that could have been ripped from a Mercedes Lackey fantasy novel, in a nod to the surreality of invented money systems that are making people rich.
Litecoin has not made Lee rich, he says. “When I released Litecoin there were a lot of other cryptocurrencies that were pre-mined by founders wanted to be super rich. I preannounced Litecoin on Bitcointalk, so people could mine it from the get go. It was more widely distributed from the start than Bitcoin,” says Lee.
Bitcoin’s mysterious creator Satoshi Nakamoto appears to own over a million of his coins, or $1 billion worth, mined in the currency’s early days, though he hasn’t touched them in years. Lee’s not such a large holder of Litecoins. ““I’m sure there are Litecoin millionaires out there,” says Lee, indicating he’s not one of them. “I’ve sold some along the way. I sold a lot of Litecoin when they were 20 cents. I’m not the best person to ask when to buy or sell.”
Litecoin investors say they are hedging their cryptocurrency bets or that they got in because they think the rising Bitcoin tide will lift other altcoin boats.”I had been watching Litecoin for months to make sure it wasn’t another pump and dump like many altcoins,” says one investor who jumped in this fall when Litecoin was around $4. “I decided to buy litecoin because I figured if Visa and Mastercard can coexist so can bitcoin and litecoin.”
Nakamoto may have kept his identity under wrap because he feared governments coming after him for creating a currency that could be used on black markets or for money laundering. The feds haven’t come knocking on Lee’s door yet. “So far, no calls from the government,” he says. “I’m just working on it as a side project, not controlling the currency or anything. It’s open sourced and decentralized. I don’t think there will be any problems.”
Lee is not the only one in his family banking on cryptocurrencies. He introduced his brother Bobby to Bitcoin, and Bobby went on to become the CEO of BTC China, previously the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange.
Lee designed Litecoin because he wanted to make a better Bitcoin — faster, more efficient and more democratic in wealth distribution — but he doesn’t expect it to kill Bitcoin.
“Litecoin versus Bitcoin is like Facebook versus Google Plus,” says Lee. “It would be hard for Plus to overtake Facebook. But if something catastrophic happens to Bitcoin, I could see Litecoin positioned to overtake it.”
Depending on the nature of the catastrophe, Litecoin might go down with Bitcoin rather than overtaking it. If the world collectively loses faith in cryptocurrencies, Litecoin will be LitesOutCoin, along with all the rest.
source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/01/13/a-100-worth-of-litecoin-a-year-ago-is-worth-30000-today/
Guugll Search
http://www.guugll.eu/100-worth-of-litecoin-a-year-ago/
Friday, January 30, 2015
Greek government, EU creditors at odds over rescue loans, debt forgiveness
Greece and its European bailout creditors were in open dispute Friday, with Germany bluntly rejecting suggestions the heavily indebted country should be forgiven part of its rescue loans and warning against “blackmail” from Athens.
Week in pictures, Jan 24-30
From the Australian Open to Niagara Falls, top news images from around the world.
Hundreds of child labourers rescued from factories in India
Hundreds of Indian children trafficked and enslaved to make bangles have been rescued by police in a series of early morning raids in the southern city of Hyderabad, local NDTV news channel reported on Friday.
'Precision medicine' project to analyze DNA from 1 million in U.S.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday called on Congress to approve spending in medical research that tailors treatment to an individual’s genes, moving away from one-size-fits-all care.
Tiger Woods shoots worst score as a pro
Tiger Woods never looked more lost on a golf course Friday on his way to an 82, the worst score of his career, at the Phoenix Open.
Muslim Brotherhood played role in deadly Sinai attack, Egyptian president says
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi blames the Muslim Brotherhood for playing a role in a sophisticated insurgent attack that killed at least 31 people in Egypt’s volatile northern Sinai Peninsula.
Fire at Mars test habitat shows dangers of manned mission
A fire at a simulated Mars habitat, located in the Utah desert, demonstates the dangers that a manned mission to the Red Planet might face.
Jailed Saudi blogger's flogging delayed again
Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was spared his 50 weekly lashes once again, according to Amnesty International.
Chad air force bombs Boko Haram out of Nigerian border town
Chad sent a warplane dropping bombs and ground troops to drive Islamic extremists from a Nigerian border town, leaving it strewn with the bodies of the Islamic extremists, witnesses said Friday.
Third time's the charm? No. Mitt Romney not running for president
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will not run for president in 2016. Three weeks after unexpectedly saying he was considering a third campaign for the White House, the former Massachusetts governor told members of his staff during a Friday conference call that he is out of race.
Aggravated assault charges against George Zimmerman dropped
Authorities say they are dropping their aggravated assault case against George Zimmerman after his ex-girlfriend stopped co-operating with authorities.
Just 4 credit card purchases can reveal who you are
By looking at just three or four purchases in credit card data from thousands of anonymous shoppers, scientists can figure out who you are.
Pakistan Shia mosque bombing kills 35
A bomb blast ripped through a Shia mosque in southern Pakistan as worshippers were gathering for Friday prayers, killing 35 people and wounding dozens, officials said.
ISIS silent on release of Japanese, Jordanian hostages
The fates of a Japanese journalist and Jordanian military pilot were unknown Friday, a day after the latest purported deadline for a possible prisoner swap passed with no further word from the Islamic militant group holding them captive.
South African apartheid death-squad leader known as 'Prime Evil' granted parole
Apartheid death-squad leader Eugene de Kock, dubbed “Prime Evil” for his role in the torture and murder of black South African activists in the 1980s and early 1990s, was granted parole on Friday after 20 years in prison.
'I felt a calling': Doctor's busy truck-stop clinic fills health-care void in U.S.
Dr. Rob Marsh practises in a more tranquil setting compared to his days with the U.S. military’s elite Delta Force unit – a job that took him to Somalia and other health-care hot spots. Now he has a clinic at a truck stop in Virginia that serves truckers and farmers, who don’t always have easy access to care.
Super Bowl XLIX: 10 players to watch
With the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots set to battle for NFL supremacy on Sunday, here are 10 players who will help decide the winner of Super Bowl XLIX.
Loretta Lynch, U.S. attorney general nominee, picks up key Republican endorsement
Attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch picked up her first Republican endorsement Thursday en route to likely confirmation as the first black woman in the nation’s top law enforcement job.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Rod McKuen, poet and songwriter, dead at 81
Rod McKuen, the husky-voiced “King of Kitsch” whose music, verse and spoken-word recordings in the 1960s and ’70s won him an Oscar nomination and made him one of the best-selling poets in history, has died. He was 81.
Suge Knight involved in fatal hit and run: report
Rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight was involved in a hit-and-run in which one person was killed, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday, citing law enforcement sources.
Simultaneous attacks in Egypt's Sinai kill 26
REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST MILITARY) - RTX11GFK' height='259' alt='EGYPT-PROTESTS/PIPELINE' width='460' src='http://news.guugll.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/simultaneous-attacks-in-egypts-sinai-kill-26.jpg' />
Militants struck more than a dozen army and police targets in the restive Sinai Peninsula with simultaneous attacks involving a car bomb and mortar rounds on Thursday, killing at least 26 security officers.
Russian power struggle: Could Putin lose his leverage over Moscow elite?
Russia faces an economic crisis, but with the ruble falling, the superwealthy are buying the latest luxury cars and may end up being the source of President Vladimir Putin’s biggest power struggle, the CBC’s Susan Ormiston reports from Moscow.
Dogs of war: From soldiers to strays, man's best friend on the battlefield
From bomb-sniffers to strays, dogs are a part of battlefields around the world. We take a look at some of the canines found in hot spots.
Climate change will make storms nastier but less frequent
Large storms like the blizzard that battered New England this week may become more severe but less frequent as the Earth’s climate changes, says a new Canadian-led study.
'Blizzard leftovers' could help food banks, New Yorker says
After buying five loaves of bread and enough tuna to feed 10, Brooklyn resident Kristine Michelsen-Corrrea emerged from this week’s non-blizzard with more food than she knew what to do with, so she gave her stockpile to a local food bank.
Keystone XL approval expected today in U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate will likely pass a bill approving the long-pending Keystone XL oil pipeline on Thursday, a measure the White House has said President Barack Obama would veto.
Where is millions in shipwrecked gold?
After years on the lam, a treasure hunter accused of cheating investors after recovering fortune in gold from a shipwreck was to appear in Florida federal court today.
Mexico City gas tank truck explodes outside hospital, killing 7
Seven people, including at least three children, were killed when a gas truck exploded and destroyed a large part of a maternity hospital in the west of Mexico City, emergency services said on Thursday.
Squatters slow Detroit's plan to bulldoze away blight
As Detroit carries out its plan to tear down tens of thousands of homes to combat blight and tailor the city to fit its population, which has dwindled to about a third the size of its 1950s peak, it will have to deal with an unknown number of squatters.
Goodluck Jonathan's failure to fight Boko Haram angers Nigerians
Youths angry at the Nigerian government’s failure to fight Islamic extremists throw stones at President Goodluck Jonathan’s electioneering convoy in the eastern city of Yola, breaking windshields and windows on several vehicles.
St. Louis meeting over policing descends to brawl
A brawl breaks out at a St. Louis, Mo., public meeting, as local people gather to discuss a board to review complaints against the police. Take a look
Lebanon-Israel border tense after 2 soldiers killed in Hezbollah attack
Israeli forces remain on high alert a day after two Israeli soldiers and a Spanish peacekeeper were killed in an exchange of fire between the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Jewish state.
Sunset deadline for ISIS hostage exchange approaching
A sunset deadline was approaching Thursday in the Middle East for Jordan to release an Iraqi prisoner or face the death of a captured Jordanian air force pilot, according to the latest threat purportedly issued by the ISIS group.
Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 officially declared an accident
Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority on Thursday officially declared the crash of Flight 370 an accident, fulfilling a legal obligation that will allow efforts to proceed with compensation claims.
New Ebola cases per week fall under 100, just, for 1st time since June
The number of new confirmed Ebola cases totalled 99 in the week to Jan. 25, the first time the weekly total has fallen below 100 since June 2014, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.
Shanghai official pleas aren't having much effect on birth rate
For decades, most urban Chinese families could have only one child. Now, officials in China’s biggest city are telling young couples: Please have more children.
Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds author, dies
' height='259' alt='Colleen McCullough' width='460' src='http://news.guugll.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/colleen-mccullough-the-thorn-birds-author-dies.jpg' />
Australian author Colleen McCullough, whose 1977 best-selling novel The Thorn Birds became a smash hit television miniseries, has died at the age of 77.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
AirAsia Flight 8501: No irregularities with jet, crew reported
The AirAsia passenger jet that crashed into the sea last month killing all 162 people was in sound condition and all crew members were properly certified, Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said on Thursday.
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