CRYPTOCURRENCY

WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY

A Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency designed to work as a medium of exchange. It uses cryptography to secure and verify transactions as well as to control the creation of new units of a particular cryptocurrency. Essentially, cryptocurrencies are limited entries in a database that no one can change unless specific conditions are fulfilled.

History

There have been many attempts at creating a digital currency during the 90s tech boom, with systems like Flooz, Beenz and DigiCash emerging on the market but inevitably failing. There were many different reasons for their failures, such as fraud, financial problems and even frictions between companies’ employees and their bosses.

Notably, all of those systems utilized a Trusted Third Party approach, meaning that the companies behind them verified and facilitated the transactions. Due to the failures of these companies, the creation of a digital cash system was seen as a lost cause for a long while.

Then, in early 2009, an anonymous programmer or a group of programmers under an alias Satoshi Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin. Satoshi described it as a ‘peer-to-peer electronic cash system.’ It is completely decentralized, meaning there are no servers involved and no central controlling authority. The concept closely resembles peer-to-peer networks for file sharing.

Within a cryptocurrency network, only miners can confirm transactions by solving a cryptographic puzzle. They take transactions, mark them as legitimate and spread them across the network. Afterwards, every node of the network adds it to its database. Once the transaction is confirmed it becomes unforgeable and irreversible and a miner receives a reward, plus the transaction fees.

Essentially, any cryptocurrency network is based on the absolute consensus of all the participants regarding the legitimacy of balances and transactions. If nodes of the network disagree on a single balance, the system would basically break. However, there are a lot of rules pre-built and programmed into the network that prevents this from happening.

Cryptocurrencies are so called because the consensus-keeping process is ensured with strong cryptography. This, along with aforementioned factors, makes third parties and blind trust as a concept completely redundant.

What can you do with cryptocurrency

There are a lot of merchants – both online and offline – that accept Bitcoin as the form of payment. They range from massive online retailers like Overstock and Newegg to small local shops, bars and restaurants. Bitcoins can be used to pay for hotels, flights, jewelery, apps, computer parts and even a college degree.

Other digital currencies like Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum and so on aren’t accepted as widely just yet. Things are changing for the better though, with Apple having authorized at least 10 different cryptocurrencies as a viable form of payment on App Store.

Of course, users of cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin can always exchange their coins for BTCs. Moreover, there are Gift Card selling websites like Gift Off, which accepts around 20 different cryptocurrencies. Through gift cards, you can essentially buy anything with a cryptocurrency.

Finally, there are marketplaces like Bitify and OpenBazaar that only accept cryptocurrencies.

Most common cryptocurrencies

•BITCOIN— The first ever cryptocurrency that started it all.
Ethereum — A Turing-complete programmable currency that lets developers build different distributed apps and technologies that wouldn’t work with Bitcoin.

•RIPPLE— Unlike most cryptocurrencies, it doesn’t use a Blockchain in order to reach a network-wide consensus for transactions. Instead, an iterative consensus process is implemented, which makes it faster than Bitcoin but also makes it vulnerable to hacker attacks.

•BITCOIN CASH — A fork of Bitcoin that is supported by the biggest Bitcoin mining company and a manufacturer of ASICs Bitcoin mining chips. It has only existed for a couple of months but has already soared to the top five cryptocurrencies in terms of market cap.

•NEM — Unlike most other cryptocurrencies that utilize a Proof of Work algorithm, it uses Proof of Importance, which requires users to already possess certain amounts of coins in order to be able to get new ones. It encourages users to spend their funds and tracks the transactions to determine how important a particular user is to the overall NEM network.

•Litecoin — A cryptocurrency that was created with an intention to be the ‘digital silver’ compared to Bitcoin’s ‘digital gold.’ It is also a fork of Bitcoin, but unlike its predecessor, it can generate blocks four times faster and have four times the maximum number of coins at 84 mln.

•IOTA — This cryptocurrency’s breakthrough ledger technology is called ‘Tangle’ and it requires the sender in a transaction to do a Proof of Work that approves two transactions. Thus, IOTA has removed dedicated miners from the process.

•NEO — It’s a smart contract network that allows for all kinds of financial contracts and third-party distributed apps to be developed on top of it. It has many of the same goals as Ethereum, but it’s developed in China, which can potentially give it some advantages due to improved relationship with Chinese regulators and local businesses.

How to buy

There are a lot of different options when it comes to buying Bitcoins. For example, there are currently almost 1,800 Bitcoin ATMs in 58 countries. Moreover, you can buy BTC using gift cards, cryptocurrency exchanges, investment trusts and you can even trade face-to-face.

When it comes to other, less popular cryptocurrencies, the buying options aren’t as diverse. However, there are still numerous exchanges where you can acquire various crypto-coins for flat currencies or Bitcoins. Face-to-face trading is also a popular way of acquiring coins. Buying options depend on particular cryptocurrencies, their popularity as well as your location.

 

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Some Unique Interesting Facts About India’s Independence Day That Will Surprise You

INDEPENDENCE DAY

In his fifth and final address in the current tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the achievements of the NDA government in the last four years – Swachch Bharat, PMFBY, Mudra loans, GST.
  1. During the address, he also announced his flagship health policy –Aayuhmaan Bharat from the Red Fort. The ambitious Ayushman Bharat or National Health Protection Scheme aims to cover over 10 crore vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) and provide health cover up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The scheme will be rolled out on September 25, on the occasion of Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s anniversary.
  2. Modi began by congratulating the all-women INS Tarini team for circumnavigating the globe and paying tribute to freedom fighters and the martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He said the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament focused on social justice. Taking a jibe at the UPA government, Modi also added that the pace of development fast-tracked in the past four years. Modi also announced the much demanded permanent commission for women in armed forces. So far women were given short service commission in Army, Navy and Air Force.
  3. Ahead of his speech, PM Modi unfurled the Tricolour and inspected the Guard of Honour. Also present at Red Fort were Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, LK Advani among other political leaders.

India, the country known for Lingual- Cultural diversity, as the originator of Chess, Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus, World’s largest Democracy and the country with the largest Road Network! India indeed has a long history to tell about itself ever since independence till date.

So, here’s presenting unknown facts regarding Indian independence:

* Our National Anthem

The Indian National Anthem, drafted by Rabindranath Tagore was to pay homage to

*Nehru wasn’t elected as our first Prime Minister

Yes it was not Nehru but Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sardar Patel won the Prime Ministry elections fair and square but since Nehru didn’t want to play second in command to anyone and also that Gandhi had a soft spot for Nehru, Sardar Patel was pulled down.

* The Indian Flag Hoisting :

We all are of the notion that Indian flag was first hoisted on Aug 15th 1947. But that isn’t true. Our National flag is said to be first hoisted on August 7, 1906 in Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta.

* India – The Peace Maker:
India has always been a peace-maker. Certainly, the history speaks of it! India has never invaded any country in her last 1,00,000 years of history.
* Jawaharlal Nehru – Trend Setter:

This one is an absolute stunner! India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru was pictured in Vogue Magazine wearing his traditional coat and so his single breasted jacket became a Fashion trend in the West.

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20 Healthy Eating Tips to Prevent, Control, and Reverse Diabete

 

Diabetes is when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. It’s carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruits, milk, and desserts that can cause this rise,” says Maggie Powers, PhD, president-elect of Health Care & Education at the American Diabetes Association.

Your eating plan should focus on the amount and type of carbs you put on your plate throughout the day, Powers says.

Figuring out the best foods to eat when you have diabetes can be tough.

The main goal is to keep blood sugar levels well-controlled.

However, it’s also important to eat foods that help prevent diabetes complications like heart disease.

Here are the 10 best foods for diabetics

  1. Fatty fish
  2. Leafy green
  3. Cinnamon
  4. Eggs
  5. Chia Seed
  6. Turmeric
  7. Greek Yogurt
  8. Nuts:-Almonds, Brazil Nuts,Pecans,Walnuts
  9. Broccoli
  10. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

4 Steps to Manage Your Diabetes for Life

 

step 1: Learn about diabetes.

What is diabetes?

There are three main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes – Your body does not make insulin. This is a problem because you need insulin to take the sugar (glucose) from the foods you eat and turn it into energy for your body. You need to take insulin every day to live.

Type 2 diabetes – Your body does not make or use insulin well. You may need to take pills or insulin to help control your diabetes. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

Type 3:- Gestational (jest-TAY-shun-al) diabetes – Some women get this kind of diabetes when they are pregnant. Most of the time, it goes away after the baby is born. But even if it goes away, these women and their children have a greater chance of getting diabetes later in life.

Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs.

Talk to your health care team about how to manage your A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. This can help lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes problems.

A for the A1C test (A-one-c):-The A1C is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past three months. It is different from the blood sugar checks you do each day.

B for Blood pressure:-Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the wall of your blood vessels.

C for Cholesterol:-

There are two kinds of cholesterol in your blood: LDL and HDL.

LDL or “bad” cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels. It can cause a heart attack or stroke.

HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove the “bad” cholesterol from your blood vessels.

Step 3: Learn how to live with diabetes.

Cope with your diabetes.

Stress can raise your blood sugar. Learn ways to lower your stress. Try deep breathing, gardening, taking a walk, meditating, working on your hobby, or listening to your favorite music.

Eat well

1.Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team.

2.Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.

3.Eat foods with more fiber, such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.

4.Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bread and cereals, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.

5.Drink water instead of juice and regular soda.

Be active.

•Set a goal to be more active most days of the week. Start slow by taking 10 minute walks, 3 times a day.

•Twice a week, work to increase your muscle strength. Use stretch bands, do yoga, heavy gardening (digging and planting with tools), or try push-ups.

•Stay at or get to a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.

•take medicine on time and regularly

Step 4: Get routine care to stay healthy.

See your health care team at least twice a year

At each visit, be sure you have a:

•blood pressure check

•foot check

•weight check

•review of your self-care plan

Two times each year, have an:

A1C test. It may be checked more often if it is over 7.
Once each year, be sure you have a:

•cholesterol test

•complete foot exam

•dental exam to check teeth and gums

•dilated eye exam to check for eye problems
flu shot

•urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems

At least once in your lifetime, get a:

•pneumonia (nu-mo-nya) shot

•hepatitis B (HEP-uh-TY-tiss) shot

●Things to Remember:

▪You are the most important member of your health care team.

▪Follow the four steps in this booklet to help you learn to manage your diabetes.

▪Learn how to reach your diabetes ABC goals.

▪Ask your health care team for help.

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india’s biggest achievements

Here Are Some Of India’s Biggest Achievements To Remind You Just What A Proud Country We Are

India is a country of great men and women, a country of rich cultural diversity, a country with plentiful natural and intellectual resources, and heart… so much heart. It’s no wonder that we’re one of the fastest growing economies in the world right now.

  1. India produces most the engineers in the world.

  2. India has  the world’s third largest military.

  3. India is the second largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping in the world.

  4. India is the largest producer of feature flims in the world.

  5. Despite budgetary constraints, India has one of the world’s top 5 spcae programs.

  6. It was ISRO’s chandrayaan-1 that first discoverd water on the moon.

  7. India gave the world game of chess.

  8. 1975: Launches India’s first satellite – Aryabhatta.

  9. 1993: Since 1993, PSLV has launched over 40 satellites from 40 different countries.

  10. 2014: Has a successful mission to Mars. Mission Mangalyan cost 10 times less than the same mission undertaken by the US previously.

  11. 2016: Launches low-cost space shuttle reusable launch vehicle at Rs 95 crore.

  12. 2016: Creates India’s own satellite navigation system IRNSS.

  13. 2016: Launches a record 20 satellites from United States, Canada, Germany and Indonesia.

  14. 2017: Successfully tests GSLV MK3 to enable India to send man to space by 2020.

  15. 2017: Launches 104 satellites in one go – the most by any space agency ever.

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benefits for regular exercise

Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories.

It Can Make You Feel Happier –

Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety and stress.It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.

It can help with weight loss –

    Your body spends energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising and maintaining body functions like your heartbeat and breathing.
    Exercise is crucial to supporting a fast metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.

Exercise boost energy –

    A walk may be better than a nap for boosting energy and fighting fatigue. New research suggests regular exercise can increase energy levels even among people suffering from chronic medical conditions associated with fatigue, like cancer and heart disease

Reduce your risk of heart disease naturally – 

    Regular exercise is an important way to lower your risk of heart disease. Exercising for 30 minutes or more on most days can help you lose weight, improve your cholesterol, and even lower your blood pressure by as many as five to seven points.

Improve memory,self confidence and strength –

    You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
    One study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 healthy people who had reported persistent fatigue
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