How the future of currency looks set to shake up the travel industry.
Most people have heard of Bitcoin by now – the mysterious electronic currency created by “Satoshi Nakamoto,” a nom de plume identifying the inventor, or inventors, of Bitcoin.
Dramatic surges and wild fluctuations on the stock market have brought the cryptocurrency into mainstream consciousness, with a frenzy of investors pouring money into “mining” operations like a modern-day gold rush.
Mining in the 21st century, however, is slightly different. In very simple terms, it works like this: every ten minutes, a puzzle is formed that specially programmed mining computers race to solve. The winner receives a block of Bitcoin (currently one Bitcoin is valued at $7,368) and the puzzle resets. Alternatively, Bitcoin can be purchased with fiat currency (legal tender that is backed by its government).
By creating Bitcoin, “Nakamoto” also invented the concept of the blockchain: a database that is immutable, secured by advanced cryptography (encryption and codes) and backed up with identical copies of information on a global network of computers – something that occurs during the mining.
By design, this network is not controlled by a single authority, and has so far proven impossible to hack. The technology is complicated, but the concept is simple: blockchain is essentially a ledger or database that is open and decentralized, and allows for the creation of censorship-proof, secure, borderless, paperless currency that can’t be tampered with or changed. Bitcoin was the first, but it’s been followed by many others, including Etherum, Litecoin, Dash and Monero.
IMMUTABLE SYSTEM
Hackproof security has always been a concern in the world of Internet payments, but experts like Leonhard Weese, founder of the Bitcoin Association of Hong Kong, feel that it’s the conventional banking system that is unsecure.
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Around the World in 80 Ways - Oneworld releases an Al-powered travel service for extended international voyages
A new generative artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent will leverage Google Cloud to help ambitious travelers easily book international trips with Oneworld member airlines. The alliance’s Round the World fares allow passengers to book up to 16 flights between at least three continents on a globe-spanning trip that lands back home up to a year later.
Fast Company - In a partnership with SpaceX, United is rolling out revolutionary high-speed Wi-Fi on all its flights
United has become the first major U.S. airline to announce a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to equip more than 1,000 aircraft with Starlink WiFi. Passengers will soon enjoy high-speed, lowlatency Internet service, enabling seamless gate-to-gate connectivity across domestic and international flights.
Special Sauce - Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
Celebrated chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis shares her Italian heritage through her television shows, restaurants, cruise partnerships and an exclusive line of curated products
The Censoring of Social Media? - Why legislatures continually try to regulate freedom of expression, and what the courts are doing about it
There seems to be bipartisan agreement that everything from teen suicide rates to poor mental health and more is due to social media. The obvious solution, they believe, is to impose government oversight on how such services can be provided. Congress is considering sweeping social media legislation and a number of states have already enacted such laws.
Golden Age
Porsche celebrates a half-century of its 911 Turbo with a limited-editon model
The Season's Best Underseat Carry-Ons
Bags that make the most of your space while providing carefree convenience
Crystal Palace
Baccarat offers sparkling cocktails in Midtown Manhattan
East Meets West
Chef Cyril Lignac fuses French and Japanese cuisine in the heart of London
Bigger.Better.
American Express relocated and improved its Centurion Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to address issues with overcrowding and enhance the customer experience
High Style
A nonstop journey from Singapore to Los Angeles in Business Class
