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A computer which flew onboard the Apollo spacecraft during its trip to the Moon has been reprogrammed to mine bitcoin.

The Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) records as one of the several technological breakthroughs for its time that allowed NASA to send a manned mission into space.

A member of a group of computer historians, Ken Shirriff, published his experience restoring the AGC in a series of posts, including his attempt to have the machine mine bitcoin.T

he computer originating from a time when the average computer could fill most of a room, Shirriff says the AGC is under a cubic foot in size and weighs less than 70 pounds.

According to Shirriff, their model of the Apollo Guidance Computer is the world’s only working AGC. He explained his motivation for writing mining code on the device thus:

“Trying to mine Bitcoin on this 1960s computer seemed both pointless and anachronistic, so I had to give it a shot. Implementing the Bitcoin hash algorithm in assembly code on this 15-bit computer was challenging, but I got it to work.”

Though the AGC may have been a force in the 1960’s, the device unsurprisingly does not hold up to modern crypto mining standards.

Shirriff continued,“Unfortunately, the computer is so slow that it would take about a million times the age of the universe to successfully mine a Bitcoin block”

He used a $70 USB stick bitcoin miner, which produces more than 130 billion hashes per second, to explain the difference between the AGC and today’s technology,

“To put the AGC's mining performance in perspective, a USB stick miner performs 130 billion hashes per second. The stick miner costs under $70, compared to $150,000 for the Apollo Guidance Computer... The enormous difference in performance is due to the exponential increase in computer speed described by Moore's law as well as the advantage of custom Bitcoin mining hardware.”

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/nasa-apollo-program-computer-now-mining-bitcoin/

Theme For David Jeremiah Devotional 12 July 2019 - UNITY YET DIVERSITY

Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:3

 Recommended Reading: Ephesians 4:3-6

Nature loves diversity, but nature also loves unity. There are many examples of groups of individuals functioning as one: ants walking in formation, flocks of starlings (and schools of fish) flowing effortlessly as one, Canadian geese flying in a perfect V-formation. Nature loves diversity but seems to rely on unity to accomplish what is good for all.
Scripture supports the idea of diversity and unity. In Ephesians 4:3-6, the apostle Paul appeals for unity in the Church (verse 3) by highlighting the word “one” seven times: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. But then, in verse 7, he goes from unity to diversity. Each Christian has been given grace (gifts) to accomplish his or her part in achieving unity (verses 7-13). Just as a flock of geese achieves its migration goal by flying in formation, so the Church achieves its maturity goal by working together in unity.

Ask God today: “What is my part, Lord, in building up Your Church? What grace have you given me? How can I promote the unity of the Body?” Let your unique gifts strengthen the unity of God’s people.

Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it. - Joni Eareckson Tada

Credit - Dr. David Jeremiah

Posted By - https://naijapage.com/david-jeremiah-devotional-12-july-2019/

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Singapore is on the verge of exempting cryptocurrencies that are meant to function as a medium of exchange from Goods and Services Tax (GST). It is equal to Value-Added Tax (VAT).The news was made known via a publication made by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) on July 5th.

The exemption, if accepted, will take effect on January 1st, 2020, and will overhaul the current system wherein the supply of digital payment tokens is treated as a taxable supply of services.According to IRAS, till now cryptocurrencies that function or are intended to do so (as a medium of exchange) have been treated as a barter trade that results in two separate supplies which are taxable token supply and a supply of the relevant goods and services.

The document lists the two proposed core changes to taxation rules in future as:“The use of digital payment tokens as payment for goods or services will not give rise to a supply of those tokens; and (ii) The exchange of digital payment tokens for fiat currency or other digital payment tokens will be exempt from GST.”

In its outline, the IRAS cites bitcoin, ether, litecoin, dash, monero, XRP and zcash as cryptocurrencies that meet its definition of a digital payment token designed to function as a medium of exchange.The IRAS also excludes fiat-pegged crypto assets such as certain stablecoins from its definition of a digital payment token.Under a section for cryptocurrency mining, the IRAS proposes that in most cases the new rules will exempt token rewards generated by mining, noting that:

“There is generally no sufficiently close nexus between the service provided by the miner to the persons whose transactions are verified, and the mined tokens that the miner received from the blockchain ecosystem. The parties paying the mined tokens are also not identifiable.”

It follows that if “a miner performs services to an identifiable party or parties, in return for a consideration, this constitutes a taxable supply of services,” according to the document.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/singapore-plans-to-exempt-vat-for-transacting-in-cryptocurrencies/

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Saeed Zarandi, Iran’s assistant minister of industry, trade and supply has claimed the United States is working to stop Iran from mining cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

According to news platform, Al-Fars, Zarandi claimed the U.S. Congress believes cryptocurrencies are a tool that can be used to evade sanctions and launder money, and is therefore working to “prevent the production of digital currency in Iran.”

On how cryptocurrencies are seen in the Iran, Zarandi noted that several Iranian ministries are working with the country’s central bank to settle the issue.

As covered, last year the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) came for Iran for allegedly using cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions.

The organization at the time admitted that the use of cryptocurrencies was “comparatively small” in the country, identifying “at least $3.8 million worth of bitcoin-denominated transactions per year” from the country since 2013.

Iran’s central bank announced the launch of a national gold-backed cryptocurrency called PayMon. Details on the cryptocurrency and its use are not really handy for now.

The founder of Iranian blockchain company ArzDigital during an interview revealed it’s based on the Stellar Lumens (XLM) network.Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been rising as Iran last month downed a U.S. drone claiming it entered its airspace.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/u-s-working-to-stop-iran-from-mining-cryptocurrencies/

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Per a report by Times of India, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of India arrested Dhiraj Patel, Ashiq Shaikh, Vijay Prajapati and Kamruddin Syed the alleged creators of the cryptocurrency KBC Coin.

According to the report, the CID argues that KBC is a Ponzi Scheme. KBC reportedly launched 6 months ago, and its price has not moved since then. KBC coins were reportedly issued at 10 paisas a piece, with the promise that they would skyrocket in value to 10 rupees in a short time.

According to a CID member, an individual named Baljeetsingh Lashkariya promoted KBC via a pyramid scheme, saying that the “first investor in the chain would get an incentive from the last circle of investors.

This offer played a major role in bringing more investors to the company.”Lashkariya and another promoter, Mohan Patel, are reportedly missing.Remember that Indian legislators have recently proposed a bill that would punish crypto enthusiasts in the country with up to 10 years in jail for violating the country’s anti-crypto laws.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/indian-authorities-arrest-people-accused-of-crypto-ponzi-scheme/

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Cambridge University have published a research that estimates that Bitcoin production consumes more energy than the whole of Switzerland.

The university's Centre for Alternative Finance produced the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index. The tool provides a real-time estimate of the total electricity load and consumption of the Bitcoin network.

According to CryptoGlobe, with the estimated nature of the data - based on all types of Bitcoin mining hardware - the index provides a range of possibilities:

- Lower bound - assuming a "best case scenario" where every miner uses the most energy-efficient equipment and maximises expected profits
- Upper bound - assuming a "worst case scenario" were all miners use the least efficient devices available and operate at massive losses.
- Best guess estimate - attempting to place an educated guess somewhere between the upper and lower bound that "more accurately quantifies Bitcoin’s real electricity usage"

Per the Cambridge research, the comparison looks at the inefficient use of energy and estimates that the amount of electricity consumed every year by "always-on but inactive home devices in the USA" could power the Bitcoin network for four years.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/bitcoin-production-takes-more-energy-than-switzerland/

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The head of Calibra at Facebook, David Marcus, said that Libra users will not have to put their trust in Facebook. He said this in a post on July 3.

Marcus again said that Facebook is not the only member of the Libra Network, and that they are relinquishing control of the network. He said:
“Facebook will not control the network, the currency, or the reserve backing it. Facebook will only be one among over a hundred members of the Libra Association by launch. We will not have any special rights or privileges.”

Polychain CEO Carlson-Wee said relinquishing control over the infrastructure behind Libra is the best strategy for Facebook. At the Consensus 2019 blockchainconference in May, Carlson-Wee said:

“I think that the strategic move for Facebook would actually be to build public infrastructure. And that public infrastructure could be incorporated onto all the Facebook platforms, which of course are proprietary. But that public infrastructure, if they don’t try to own it, I think that’s where they will have the most success.”

Marcus said while the crypto wallet company Calibra is not owned by Facebook as a subsidiary, no financial data will be available to Facebook. Marcus said users are free to use many custodial and non-custodial wallets from different companies to store and make transactions with Libra.
Non-custodial wallet ZenGo has provided a proof-of-concept demonstration for Libra support. Marcus said users do not have to put their trust in
Facebook in other to use Libra:

“Bottom line: You won’t have to trust Facebook to get the benefit of Libra. And Facebook won’t have any special responsibility over the Libra Network…. We’ve been clear about our approach to financial data separation and we will live up to our commitments and work hard to deliver real utility.”

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/david-marcus-of-facebook-addresses-libra-trust-issues/

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According to a report from Reuters, Cuba is considering using cryptocurrency to dodge U.S. sanctions. Reuters quoted a government source.

Via a public address on television, president Migual Diaz-Canel of Cuba said the plan would raise capital for around one quarter of the population.Cuba has been affected by the inflation in Venezuela, which happened to be a major source of aid.

According to Reuters, economy minister Alejandro Gil Fernandez said:
“We are studying the potential use of cryptocurrency... in our national and international commercial transactions, and we are working on that together with academics,”

TestBoo has previously reported that Venezuela issued its own state-run cryptocurrency, Petro, last year. Petro was also made to dodge sanctions but its use has so far remained limited due to a lack of international interest.

States such as Iran which is facing a hostile U.S. reception are considering adopting this measure.Whether Cuba will create its own cryptocurrency token is still unclear. Gil Fernandez said the cryptocurrency-sponsored reforms are needed as it would make room for some form of decentralization in an economy largely operated under soviet principles.

Cryptocurrency is gradually taking over the globe but if the governments keep issuing state owned cryptocurrencies, how will the main aim of cryptocurrencies which is decentralization and freedom from government control be achieved ?

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/cuba-is-studying-cryptocurrency-to-dodge-u-s-sanctions/

cc - Lalasticlala

TestBoo.com



Bitcoin traders in Zimbabwe and South Africa are experiencing skyrocketing premiums on their bitcoin (BTC), according to a report Fxstreet on July 2nd 2019.

Amid South Africa and Zimbabwe’s recent ban on local trading in foreign fiat currencies, local traders have reportedly seen asking prices of as high as $50,000 per 1 BTC if they attempt to purchase from abroad.

Bitcoin is currently trading above $10,915 on South African crypto exchange Luno, according to CoinMarketCap data — 10.5% above its price point on Cointelegraph’s bitcoin price index.

Commentators on social media this week claimed that bitcoin is allegedly trading at as high as $76,000 in Zimbabwe. This is a premium of over 600%.

Screenshots from P2P site LocalBitcoins.com shared on Twitter have seen traders attempted to pocket colossal gains at an asking rate of $75-76,000: (See via link below)

Commenting on the allegations, Tuur Demeester  who is the founding partner at Adamant Capital Tweeted :
“Likely this is inflation that is simply not recognized by the government. I'm skeptical of that number as reflecting genuine premium.”

EToro senior market analyst Mat Greenspan concurred stating:

“Some crypto sites are reporting a 600% bitcoin premium in Zimbabwe.This massive markup is actually just a reflection of the black market rate for USD held in EcoCash which have just been rendered virtually worthless by the government.”

Zimbabwe with an inflation rate approaching 100% this June has seen a push from the financial sector to establish more regulatory clarity for blockchain technologies. As of 2017 Zimbabwe has enforced a policy of blanket bitcoin criminalization.

African countries are really taking this idea of blockchain and cryptocurrency to heart lately.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/is-bitcoin-really-selling-for-76000-in-zimbabwe/

CC - Lalasticlala

NaijaPage.Com



Theme For Joel Osteen Devotional 2 June 2019 - Don’t Confuse Your “Do” With Your “Who”

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well
Psalm 139:14, NKJ

TODAY'S WORD:

Have you ever noticed that when you ask someone “Who are you?” a lot of times they’ll say, “I’m a salesman.” “I’m a minister.” “I’m a coach.” “I’m a teacher.” Many people find their identity in what they do. The problem with this kind of thinking is that people identify themselves with their negative habits and strongholds, too. I hear people say, “I’m an alcoholic; I just can’t beat it.” No, that’s not who you are, that’s what you do. But if you keep thinking that way and talking that way, it will become so ingrained on the inside that you’ll convince yourself that it’s true, and it will keep you from rising higher. One time somebody told me, “Joel, I’m a drug dealer.” He was embarrassed by it. He didn’t want to live that way. I told him what I’m telling you, “That’s not who you are. If you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then who you are is a child of the Most High God. It’s time to start acting like it because you have a destiny to fulfill.” As a believer, you are the righteousness of God in Christ! You are the head and not the tail! You are an overcomer! Today, embrace who you are in Christ and don’t ever let your performance change your identity.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, thank You for who You are and for who You’ve made me. I declare today that I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Help me to keep my identity in You and glorify You in all that I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Credit - Joel Osteen

From - NaijaPage - https://naijapage.com/joel-osteen-devotional-2-june-2019-2/

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Two cities in Florida recently fell victims to ransomware attacks. They ended up paying the attackers large amounts of bitcoin for them to lift the siege and allow the cities to recover their systems.

Per WCJB, officials in Riviera Beach authorized the city’s insurance carrier to pay roughly $600,000 worth of bitcoin to put an end to a ransomware siege. They later paid an additional $900,000 to buy new equipment after the attack.

Also officials in Lake City voted to allow the city’s insurance carrier to pay hackers 42 bitcoins, currently worth around $467,400. They gave the authorities a decryption key that’s being used to restore the city’s systems.

The 42 BTC amount was reached after the insurance company negotiated with the hackers. Notably, law enforcement agencies like the FBI and security experts discouraged the payment of ransoms in these cases, as they give the attackers a reason to keep going.

The attack on Lake City started on June 10, and was caused by a malware called “Triple Threat,” which infects the network and allowed the hackers to deploy a ransomware known as Ryuk. Though the fire and police departments weren’t affected, the city decided it would be less expensive to pay.

City Manager Joe Helfenberger said:

"Based on the advice of the vendors the purchase provided a mechanism to the city to retrieve the city's files and data, which had been encrypted, and hopefully return the city's IT system to being fully operational. If this process works it would save the city substantially in both time and money."

From - TestBoo - https://testboo.com/two-cities-in-florida-paid-bitcoin-ransoms-this-month/

CC - Lalasticlala

NaijaPage.com



David O. Oyedepo is a Nigerian preacher, businessman and an architect. He is the founder of the Megachurch Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, and Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners' Chapel.

Kenneth Copeland is an American televangelist and author. He has been identified as preaching a prosperity and abundance message. He runs the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM). KCM's motto is "Jesus is Lord". He has a net-worth of US$760 million . He is the author of Kenneth Copeland Devotionals.

Jerry Savelle is president of Jerry Savelle Ministries International who has written over 70 books and has taught in more than 3000 churches and 26 nations. He is the author of Jerry Savelle Devotional. Jerry Savelle posted the picture and wrote: "I’m here in Nigeria in a Ministers Conference with Bro Copeland and Bishop David Oyedepo and God is showing us his Glory in a big way. Thanks for your prayers. "

From - NaijaPage - https://naijapage.com/david-oyedepo-spotted-with-kenneth-copeland-and-jerry-savelle/

CC - Lalasticlala

TestBoo



Singapore’s central bank has met with Facebook about its upcoming Libra cryptocurrency. This is according to Bloomberg.

The managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Ravi Menon, reportedly acknowledged libra’s potential benefits which includes making payments cheaper or supporting the unbanked. He however said the regulator needs to understand exactly how the tech giant’s system will work.

Menon said Singapore would be seeking assurances on security and privacy issues before making a regulatory decision. He said:

“The key challenge is to figure out the nature of the beast. What is it more like and which box we can put it into. At this point we are not sure yet.”

Menon also warned that the concerns raised by central banks worldwide are important. Facebook has been receiving some considerable pushback from regulators since unveiling the white paper for its long-awaited cryptocurrency.

Governor Villeroy de Galhau of Bank of France warned that libra will have to comply with banking regulations in the country before it can operate.

United States House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing about libra come July 16th.


From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/singapore-central-bank-says-concerns-over-facebook-libra-is-important/

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Opera has launched the iOS version of its mobile web browser, Opera Touch,. This was made known via a press release.

Opera Touch reportedly supports the Ethereum (ETH) protocol and the Ethereum Web3 application programming interface (API). The browser accommodates Ethereum-based decentralized applications (DApps) and all ERC-20 tokens and stablecoins. The browser also is said to feature a cryptocurrency wallet.

Opera released the Android version of its mobile browser at the end of 2018, which offers these same Ethereum-related capabilities and Opera Touch purports to be the first mobile browser on iOS with ‘Web 3’ support and a crypto wallet.

Charles Hamel, the Head of Crypto at Opera browsers commented on the release of Opera’s latest browser iteration, saying:

“We believe that all modern browsers should integrate a crypto wallet. This will enable new business models to emerge on the web. Opera is the first browser to make using crypto on the Web seamless and easy. Following a strong demand from the crypto- community, we are now making this experience available on iOS.”

Opera has partnered with the crypto collectible dApp “Marble.Cards.”  for this new release. This application turns website URLs into unique collectible cards that are registered as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/opera-launches-ios-version-of-opera-touch-mobile-web-browser/

CC - Seun, Lalasticlala

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Per CryptoCompare, at around 05:10 UTC on Wednesday (June 26), the Bitcoin price surged and reached to $12,829, a level not seen since January 2018.

Within eight hours, Bitcoin's price went from $11,369 to $12,829, for an increase of 12.84%. At press time on June 26th, BTC is trading around $12,558, up 10.74% in the past 24-hour period.The total reported market cap for all coins/tokens is $341,94, while Bitcoin's market cap is $222.93 billion making Bitcoin enjoy a dominance rate of 65.2%.

Although Bitcoin's price is still down 38% from the all-time high (ATH) it reached in December 2017, it's return on investment (ROI) is a very impressive 238.82% to date.Facebook's Unveiling of project Libra and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) have been named as the two factors driving up the price of Bitcoin, as well as a few other positive catalysts.

From - TestBoo - https://testboo.com/bitcoin-price-surges-past-12820/

CC - Seun, Lalasticlala, mynd44, FinestBoi

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Bitcoin's stride to over $12,000 has taken its market dominance to 65.2 percent for the first time since April 2017.

Following its growth in recent days, the bitcoin price reached levels not seen since immediately after the end of its 2017 bull run.

The successes have come at the expense of altcoins, which have so far failed to produce similar performance. As a result, BTC dominance of the overall cryptocurrency market cap is now 65% .

Bitcoin’s market cap now stands at $226 billion out of a total crypto cap of $365 billion.Recording 12.5% daily gains at press time, BTC/USD is outperforming even the next best option in the top ten cryptocurrencies, ethereum (ETH). The latter put in 6.2% returns in the same period, its market cap still spiking above $35 billion for the first time since August.

Bitcoin enthusiasts are happy with the current figures with the Twitter account known as Armin van Bitcoin adding he distrusted CoinMarketCap and that the actual number was closer to 95%.He explained “If a coin is centralized, premined, has low trading volume, isn't listed on more than one exchange or is pegged to (Bitcoin) only trading, it's market cap is meaningless. Most coins fit in that criteria,”

From TestBoo - https://testboo.com/bitcoin-market-dominance-hits-65/

cc - Lalasticlala, seun , mynd44

NAIJAPAGE.Com



Theme For Open Heavens Daily Devotional 22 June 2019 - THE DANGER OF FRUITLESSNESS.

MEMORISE:

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2

READ: Luke 13:6-9

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

MESSAGE

“Be fruitful” is the very first statement God made to mankind. This statement was pronounced both as a blessing and command. It is therefore obvious that fruitfulness is the heartbeat and overriding objective of the Almighty God for mankind. Out of His abundant love, God conferred fruitfulness as an irreversible blessing on mankind so that everyone, without exception, must bear fruit. Fruitfulness is so important that Jesus in John 15:8 said that the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit, and by bearing much fruit, we demonstrate that we are His disciples indeed. Consequently, God reacts to fruitlessness the same way He reacts to rebellion, because failure to bear fruit is actually rebellion against the commandment and purpose of God for mankind (Luke 3:9, Matthew 21:19).

The question is, are you bearing fruit? What type of fruit are you producing? If you have not yet given your life to Christ, God expects you to first bear the fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:. For those who are saved, God expects us to bear the fruit of the Spirit and produce the fruit of souls won into His kingdom (Ephesians 5:8-9, Matthew 28:18-20). Or Lord Jesus Christ gave the disciples many Parable, including the Parable of Talents to teach them the importance of faithfulness in stewardship. In that parable, all the servants put their talents to profitable use. Except the servant to whom was entrusted one talent (Matthew 25:14-30). This servant went and dug the ground to hide his Lord’s money where it lay fallow. When his lord returned and all servants rendered account of their stewardship, he was seriously reprimanded for his lack of productivity. His talent was taken away from him and given as bonus to another servant. In like manner, the Lord expects every one of His children to diligently put their talents and gifts into profitable use for the advancement of His kingdom. We are to do the works of Christ, of which spreading the gospel and soul-winning is paramount. If we fail to be fruitful or productive, we may be guilty of receiving the grace of God in vain, thereby becoming unprofitable servants. I pray that you will never be considered an unprofitable servant in Jesus’ Name. god is keenly looking out for our fruits, expecting us to bear fruit spiritually, physically, financially and materially. He will judge our individual and corporate performance by the quality and quantity of fruit we bear. May you bear fruits that abound and remain, in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:

Father, please rebuke fruitlessness and stagnancy in my life today, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 34-36
Ezekiel 4:4-5:4

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS

• Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
• Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

• Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.

• Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

• Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

• Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

Credit - Pastor  E. Adeboye

From - NaijaPage - https://naijapage.com/open-heavens-daily-devotional-22-june-2019/

CC - Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

TestBoo.com



Like it or not ... The Era of "Currency Evolution" is here! You can't escape it, you can't run away from it; which makes it an 'Evolution'. It all started with creation of the Blockchain Technology.

The main objective of a blockchain is a decentralized system. A blockchain works with Blocks. A block in a blockchain is a collection of data. Nowadays most of the Finance and banking sectors are using blockchain technology.Just like the Internet started and became popular with Emails, the blockchain started with Bitcoin.

Apart from cryptocurrencies, there are many other things that can be built on the blockchain network. Many countries of the world including in Africa have embraced the blockchain technology. The leading countries include:

Malta

Malta is known as “blockchain island”. It is also looking forward to setting up a crypto bank. Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges inaugurated its office in this country and it is the first place where a decentralized bank and stock exchange was established. 

Japan

Japan is months ahead when it comes to Bitcoin and crypto adoption. Some of the retail stores in Japan accept Bitcoin. It is among the largest Bitcoin traders. According to a Nikkei report cited in a note by Masao Muraki, who is a global financial strategist at Deutsche Bank, around 40% of Bitcoin trading in Q4 in the year 2017 was conducted in Yen.

Estonia

Estonia is the first country to establish a blockchain based e-residency programme. This country is a digital society that has adopted new technologies to benefit the people and the finance of the country. It is willing to implement blockchain in Healthcare, banking services, and e-governance.Estonia was the first country to use blockchain based e-voting service. It also hosts a number of Bitcoin-based ATMS.

USA

In the first quarter of 2014, the USA Internal Revenue Service released a guide about taxation of operations with regard to Bitcoins and other virtual currencies. Bitcoins are treated as property when it comes to federal taxes. Profits from Bitcoin mining are subject to taxation. ICOs are also under regulation in the US. The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) controls tokens. The United States of America holds the highest number of startups. It has over 40% of total blockchain startup market. Just like the internet age, the USA is leading the way in the smart economy.Many US-based financial companies are investing on how blockchain technology could streamline the current work and create a more efficient network to process financial transactions.

Venezuela

Venezuela now has a stated owned crypto dubbed "Petro" which is launched in February 2018. It is a cryptocurrency issued by the government of Venezuela which is attached to a quantity of oil.

Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the famous adopters of blockchain technology in the world. Switzerland ranks 1st as a crypto-friendly country in Europe in 2018, according to Blockshow. It is also the home of Ethereum Foundation, a Swiss non-profit that developed Ethereum. Switzerland is ahead of most of the other countries and is moving rapidly to pave the way to create a decentralized future.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is one of the most digital-friendly nations. It is also one of the advocates of blockchain and cryptocurrency.The government of Dubai has interest in blockchain. H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation said the government has a vision of creating a paperless digital enterprise. UAE wants to become the first country in the world to have a “blockchain powered government by the year 2021 which will save the government a massive $3 billion USD annually.

Singapore

In Singapore the dominance of blockchain technology has affected the Singapore government’s policy. According to the research by Global Market Insights On October 13th, 2017, the partnership between the Monetary Authority of Singapore(MAS) and a consortium of financial institutions launched a new interbank system based on Blockchain.The government also has formulated different plans to tokenize the state’s currency on the Ethereum network. The Singapore authority allocated over $225 million dollars to blockchain research and development.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has the second most number of blockchain startups in the industry. The government of UK has planned to improve its regulation against identity theft and slow financial services with the proper implementation of the blockchain technology.A group of professors is looking forward to the creation of the world’s first “blockchain university”. On August 3rd, 2016, The government of Uk launched Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) as a part of ‘Innovate UK’.

The department for work and pensions in the UK allows the pensioners to claim payments through blockchain enabled mobile appsThe governor of the Bank of England believes in the power of blockchain which makes it the highest priority among them now.

Sweden

Sweden entered the blockchain business with a different concept. It aims to be the first country to have a blockchain based property title process. The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority has publicly declared Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a means of payment.

Canada

Canada maintains a generally Bitcoin-friendly stance while also ensuring the cryptocurrency is not used for money laundering. Bitcoin is viewed as a commodity by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This means that Bitcoin transactions are viewed as barter transactions, and the income generated is considered as business income. There are laws on taxation too.

Remember that this is just a snippet into the countries that have already adopted the Blockchain Technology and are working tirelessly to develop the technology the more. There are other countries like Australia, Denmark, Gibraltar, France, Korea, Denmark, South Africa, Uganda and many others. According to un.org, the Bitcoin countries in Africa are Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Testboo is of the view that though Nigerians use the blockchain Technology to an extent, the government of Nigeria is not showing any interest in the technology. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is still unable to provide regulatory framework that will guide financial services using blockchain technology in the country making some investors who might have interest in Nigeria shy away to other African Countries.

Michael Kiberu, Chief Executive Officer, Vault Bridge, said Nigeria can take a cue from countries such as Uganda, Switzerland, Kenya, Japan, where adoption of blockchain technology has greatly impacted the landscape.

Chuta Chimezie, coordinator Blockchain Nigeria User Group, had this to say on Blockchain

"Summarily, for any type of record keeping for which transparency, tamperproof storage, and clear maintenance of audit trail is desired, blockchain is the way to go. Be it marriage registry, land registry, birth registry, death registry, medical records, census records, academic records, financial records, blockchain is a tested technology that can be applied for above mentioned"

Testboo is of the firm opinion that blockchain will help Nigeria in areas such as Data Base Management, Election And Good Governance, Budget Tracking.Corruption is the reason for the set backs faced by most African countries. Reports show that Africa loses $148 billion — 25% of Africa’s average GDP — every year to corruption. In the 2017 Open Budget Index (OBI) survey released in February 2018, Nigeria scored 17%, ranking 90th out of 115 countries globally, and 23rd out of 38 African countries.

Blockchain technology can be applied in the development of budget-tracking protocol to tackle budget-related corruption. A blockchain-based application will save all transactions and expenditures and everyone in the network will be alerted at every update.

Even INEC in Nigeria can use this technology.This will eliminate corruption and embezzlement of funds as the transaction data including transaction amount, time, account number(s), and receiver(s) will all be under public scrutiny.

Cryptocurrency trading in Nigeria can also be taxable if the government wishes. The cryptocurrency industry generates much income for other countries who made it taxable.

Now Facebook has shown interest in Cryptocurrency with the emergence of the white paper for its coin, dubbed Libra. The Libra will be used both on Whatsapp and Messenger and can be transferred from one account to the other. The sudden news about Facebook's Libra has given more popularity to cryptocurrencies which can be seen in the resultant increase on the price of Bitcoin.

According to a new report from professional social network LinkedIn, Blockchain is one of the top ten most important employee skills in the Asia Pacific region.

While Nigeria is busy sleeping, Uganda is busy hosting the 2019 Africa Blockchain Conference with Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda officiating.

Written By TestBoo.com - https://testboo.com/while-nigeria-is-busy-sleeping-an-article-by-testboo/

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NaijaPage.com



Theme For Open Heavens Devotional 25 June 2019 - BE DETERMINED!

MEMORISE:
“After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” Acts 19:21

BIBLE READING: Act 21:10-15
10. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith The Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12. And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for The Name of The Lord Jesus.
14. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The Will of The Lord be done.
15. And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

MESSAGE:
A. To be DETERMINED is to be SINGLE -MINDED.
1. it also means HAVING FIRMNESS of PURPOSE or BEING RESOLUTE to Achieve Success in Any Assignment Committed into One’s Hands.
2. DETERMINATION is essential for anyone to succeed and be effective in life and ministry.
3. God is looking for men and women who are FAITHFUL and DETERMINED STEWARDS to commit special assignment to.
4. Indeed, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says that The Eyes of THE Lord run to and fro the whole earth in search of DETERMINED PEOPLE.
5. It was in the process of this search that He found David
6. Psalms 89:20 “I have found David My Servant; with My Holy Oil have I anointed him:”

B. When God searches a person out and commits An Assignment into his or her hands, such a person must realize that Stewardship Is Trust that must not be abused.
1. And all Stewards of God’s Resources will give account of their service to God.
2. As a Faithful and Dedicated Worker in God’s Vineyard, you have to be focused on your own mandate and never use another man’s parameters to evaluate your life.
3. 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves:
4. But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
5. To be Focused is to have A Target and Work Towards Actualising it to The Glory of The Almighty.
6. Keeping in mind that the business of God’s Kingdom requires haste.
7. In John 9:4, The Lord says, “I must work The Works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

C. To be Commended by The Lord on His Return, you must do His Work heartily and cheerfully.
1. It is my earnest prayer that as you devote all available ENERGY and RESOURCES to The Assignment commitment into your hands, The Lord Himself will Prosper Your Determination.
2. Determination is reflected in the lives of The Heroes of Faith.
3. NOAH showed determination in building the ark and carrying out all of God’s instructions to specification.
4. ABRAHAM displayed determination by obeying God to the letter.
5. MOSES showed determination in leading the Israelites out of Egypt and effectively communicating The Will of God to them, and
6. NEHEMIAH the builder was determined to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, even under hostile conditions.
7. SARAH, DAVID, DANIEL, ESTHER and THE PROPHETS were all Dedicated Vessels of God.Who left legacies which endure even today.

D. Above all, Jesus Christ displayed UNCOMMON DETERMINATION and STEADFASTNESS.
1. Not only to come to this world but also to go to Jerusalem to die for our sin.
2. Luke 9:51 “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,”
3. DETERMINATION is a virtue that is highly rewarding.
4. The Bible says that God Reward Those Who DILIGENTLY SEEK Him .
5. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to Please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is A Rewarder of them that Diligently Seek Him.”
6. All The Heroes of Faith were greatly rewarded during their lifetime, and God gave them Everlasting Peace and Joy in Heaven.
7. As you strive with determination in all your assignments, God will Crown Your Efforts with Resounding Success, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

ACTION POINT:
Pursue your God-given dreams with vigor, even if you have tried and failed in the past.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Numbers 32-33
Ezekiel 3:16-4:3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN: HOLD THE FORT
1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.
•Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone! •Refrain:

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe. •Refrain:

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer! •Refrain:
EMMANUEL=GOD WITH US!

Credit - Pastor E. Adeboye

From NaijaPage - https://naijapage.com/open-heavens-devotional-25-june-2019/

TestBoo.com



Bitcoin has set a new 15-month record high price on June 25th as it continues its giant three-month bull run.

Data from Coin360 shows that bitcoin's 24-hour gain is topping as much as 6% to take BTC/USD over $11,350.The last time the pair traded at those levels was in the first week of March 2018, before a protracted bear market set in, which took bitcoin to lows of $3130.

This surge set in on April 1st with bitcoin shaking off negative news and other pressure to completely reverse most of its 2018 losses.Resistance as $10,000, which analysts said would be a significant hurdle to overcome, disappeared late last week, followed by $11,000 less than 24 hours later.

Bitcoin’s market cap now sits at over $200 billion, a figure not seen since earlier last year. Overall market dominance has now reached 60%.Online cryptocurrency trader and investor Josh Rager commented on Twitter Monday saying: “(Bitcoin) doesn't care about altcoin bags,”“Bitcoin Dominance continues to look bullish and as long as BTC continues to push up, no alt-season at this moment.”

Credit - https://testboo.com/bitcoin-breaks-200-billion-market-cap-details/

cc - Lalasticlala , Seun, Mynd44

TESTBOO.COM



Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, will officiate the 2019 Africa Blockchain Conference.

Per the report, The 2019 Africa Blockchain Conference will be held from July 3rd to July 4th, and the theme is ’Africa 4.0:  Preparing Africa for the 4th Industrial Revolution.’ The conference topics will reportedly include fintech, payment systems, and the future of education. The conference should not to be confused with The Blockchain Africa Conference 2019 which occurred in April.

President Museveni reportedly supported the use of blockchain technology in Uganda during his inaugural speech. Museveni is said to have cited four economic areas that he believes should be supported by blockchain technology: agriculture, manufacturing and processing, services, and the ICT sector.

Blockchain tech firm CryptoSavannah will reportedly be one of the organizers for the 2019 conference. The company’s director, Noah Baalesanvu, commented on the maturation of cryptocurrencies in Africa, saying:

“While initially being marred by scams and cons, significant value has moved to cryptos with major markets like Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa with significant crypto holdings also trading activity.”

CryptoSavannah partnered with the cryptocurrency exchange Binance in 2018 to gain financial support for blockchain growth in Uganda. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao claimed that his organization would create thousands of jobs in the country. He tweeted:

“binance will partner with @cryptosavannah @AggieKonde @HelenHaiyu to support Uganda's economic transformation and youth employment through blockchain, embracing the 4th industrial revolution. We will do this by creating thousands of jobs and bringing investments to Uganda.”

Credit - TestBoo - https://testboo.com/president-of-uganda-to-officiate-the-2019-africa-blockchain-conference/

cc - Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

TestBoo.com



The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) warned that the financial services about to be offered by firms like Facebook, Google and Amazon could generate new risks for the banking sector.

The BIS — an international financial institution in Switzerland owned by 60 of the world’s central banks — published a report outlining its stance on June 23.Upon the announcement of cryptocurrency, Libra, the BIS said that while big tech firms’ foray into finance can bring efficiency gains and broaden financial inclusion, regulators must step up their action to mitigate the new and complex risks involved.

BIS said big tech firms’ extensive user base, access to user data and multi-faceted business models have the potential to rapidly change the financial services industry. Their low-cost structure business is highly scalable, and the network structure of widely-visited platforms can help promote financial inclusion in populations that remain underbanked.

The BIS went on to warn that  “the very features that bring benefits also have the potential to generate new risks and costs associated with market power.”They claimed that big tech firms introduce both known and unfamiliar risks to the financial services landscape.

It notes the risks to financial stability and consumer protection posed by tech giants that “have the potential to loom large very quickly as systemically relevant financial institutions” thereby disrupting the traditional banking sector.

According to the report, such firms efficiently leverage a “data-network-activities loop” that could well accelerate the success of their entry into finance.
The fact that firms such as Facebook have traditional regulatory perimeters and national borders has made the BIS to call for national and international coordination among authorities to “ensure a level playing field between big techs and banks.”

From - TestBoo - https://testboo.com/facebook-interest-in-cryptocurrency-poses-risks-to-banks/

CC - Lalasticlala, seun, mynd44

NaijaPage.com



"You were made from something ... maybe a couple of things. It is a form of contribution ... not a daily contribution but a once in a life time type of contribution."

Source - NaijaPage - https://naijapage.com/this-is-the-height-of-creativity-to-me/

CC - Lalasticlala, Seun, Mynd44

TestBoo.com



A US lawmaker said Facebook should pause the launch of its Libra crypto-currency. This is coming hours after the social network formally announced the project.

Libra which is set to be launched next year will let people make payments via Facebook's apps and WhatsApp.

The chairwoman said the company should wait until the US Congress has examined the project. She is the chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee.

Democratic congresswoman Maxine Waters said:

"Given the company's troubled past, I am requesting that Facebook agree to a moratorium on any movement forward on developing a crypto-currency until Congress and regulators have the opportunity to examine these issues and take action," She laid her stance on the firm's history of controversies involving user-data.

A Facebook spokesman said:

"We look forward to responding to policymakers' questions as this process moves forward,"
Facebook plans to allow its users to buy Libra and store it online in a digital wallet called Calibra from whence it will be transferable between users and could eventually be used to pay bills or buy things.

US Senator Sherrod Brown said he thought Facebook had become "too big and too powerful". "We cannot allow Facebook to run a risky new crypto-currency out of a Swiss bank account without oversight," He said.

From - TestBoo.com - https://testboo.com/facebook-told-to-pause-libra-crypto-currency-project/

CC - lalasticlala, seun, mynd44

TestBoo.com



Cryptocurrency critic, Nouriel Roubini on Tuesday denounced Facebook's Libra stablecoin.

Just hours after Facebook published its Libra white paper, the respected New York University economics professor colloquially known as Dr Doom because of his accurate forecasts of market bubbles and global bust cycles, took to Twitter to voice his concerns.
He labelled the Libra project, due for launch in 2020, a "monopoly scam" aimed solely at lifting the social media giant's profits through its many billions of worldwide users.

Roubini also criticized Facebook's apparent misappropriation of the term "blockchain" to describe the technology that supports the Libra project.

He twitted:

"It will start as a private, permissioned, not-trustless, centralized, oligopolistic, members-only club. So much for calling it 'blockchain'. Like all 'enterprise DLT (distributed ledger technology)' it is blockchain in name only and a monopoly to extract massive seignorage from billions of users. A monopoly scam."

The economist had, a day earlier, slammed Facebook's ambitions to be a global currency issuer.

"At a time when Big Tech is coming under sharp legislative scrutiny coz of serious anti-trust concerns and all governments, even the US, want to crack down on these monopolies Facebook wants to become the monopolistic Global Fed without even a bank license. What a ridiculous chutzpah!"

Other Twitter critics include:

Nilay Patel wrote:

"A cryptocurrency controlled by a cabal of 27 corporations including two giant credit card companies is truly the dream

Nadim Kobeissi twitted:

"Libra is wrong. Anyone using Libra is doing something wrong and its developers were wrong to build it. Anything that encourages and normalizes Facebook having a global currency on top of its existing unchecked global empire of spying, personal data resale and abuse is dead wrong."

However, Andrew Yang, a US Presidential hopeful for 2020, said on Twitter:

"The new Facebook-backed cryptocurrency Libra could be a big step for the hundreds of millions of unbanked around the world. It’s use of the blockchain makes a lot of sense. Could even curb corruption as a lot of int’l aid money intended for impoverished people never reaches them."

Source - Testboo - https://testboo.com/critics-come-for-facebook-libra-details/

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TestBoo.com



Facebook has released the white paper for its long-awaited cryptocurrency and blockchain-based financial infrastructure project today, June 18.

As per the white paper, Facebook’s global stablecoin, named “libra,” will operate on the native and scalable Libra blockchain, and be backed by a reserve of assets ostensibly “designed to give it intrinsic value” and mitigate volatility fluctuations.

These assets consist of many bank deposits and short-term government securities that will be held in the Libra Reserve for every Libra that is issued.

The new cryptocurrency will be governed by a not-for-profit, Switzerland-based consortium — the “Libra Association” — which counts Mastercard, PayPal, Visa, Stripe, eBay, Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz and Uber among its founding members.

Facebook plans to expand the association to around 100 members by the time of Libra’s launch in the first half of 2020. The white paper in part reads:

“While final decision-making authority rests with the association, Facebook is expected to maintain a leadership role through 2019. Facebook created Calibra, a regulated subsidiary, to ensure separation between social and financial data and to build and operate services on its behalf on top of the Libra network.”

The Libra Association is itself governed by the Libra Association Council. The council’s members initially are the founding members, each of which runs a validator node on the network and was notably required to make a minimum investment of $10 million to seal the position. According to Facebook, each $10 million investment secures an entity one vote on the council.

Facebook also released the Libra Investment Token — distinct from its global user-oriented cryptocurrency libra — which can be purchased or distributed as dividends to the association’s founding members and accredited investors.As Libra is not technically pegged to any given national fiat currency, the white paper states that users will not always be able to redeem the token for a fixed amount of fiat, although Facebook claims that the reserve assets have been chosen so as to minimize volatility.

Source - Testboo.com - https://testboo.com/facebook-releases-white-paper-for-libra-cryptocurrency/

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NaijaPage.com



Pastor Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was born in the year 1942 in Ifewara, near Ife, in Osun State. He joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1973 and began interpreting Yoruba to English by Pastor Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi. In 1975, he obtained a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Lagos where he holds a position as Professor of Mathematics. He was ordained a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1977 and became the General Overseer of the church in 1981. He is the original author of the Open Heavens Daily Devotional.

From - NaijaPage.com - https://naijapage.com/pastor-e-adeboye-in-the-making-see-picture/

cc - Lalasticlala, Seun