Based on what we've seen in last few years. I think emojis will be our new language. Do you think if we can communicate via emoticons on tws?
To :honeybee: or not :honeybee: is the real :exclamation_question_mark:
ps. i'm poor at this. Let me see if you can come up with something better.
@lucifer Interesting, too much drama here. Though I'm not fake. Anyways, good luck!
@EmmaMusic Mojo Jojo, he had some really cool gadgets, like access to time machine and time travel 
@marziaaa From HP
Warning! It's too technical ;)
One of the most common analogies that people use for Bitcoin is that it’s like mining gold. Just like the precious metal, there is only a limited amount (there will only ever be 21 million bitcoin) and the more that you take out, the more difficult and resource intensive it is to find. Apart from that, Bitcoin actually works quite differently and it’s actually quite genius once you can get your head around it. One of the major differences is that mining doesn’t necessarily create the bitcoin. Bitcoin is given to miners as a reward for validating the previous transactions. So how do they do it?
Bitcoin mining requires a computer and a special program. Miners will use this program and a lot of computer resources to compete with other miners in solving complicated mathematical problems. About every ten minutes, they will try to solve a block that has the latest transaction data in it, using cryptographic hash functions.
What are Hash Functions?
A cryptographic hash function is an essentially one-way encryption without a key. It takes an input and returns a seemingly random, but fixed length hash value.
For example, if you use Movable Type’s SHA-256 Cryptographic Hash Algorithm:
Message: How does mining work?
Hash Value: 46550fef 26f87ddd 5e15407f 45a0b8d2 9513291c 4e0f0acc 24a974de 907a1569
If you change even one letter of the original input, a completely different hash value will be returned. This randomness makes it impossible to predict what the output will be.
How Are Hash Functions Useful For Bitcoin?
Because it is practically impossible to predict the outcome of input, hash functions can be used for proof of work and validation. Bitcoin miners will compete to find an input that gives a specific hash value (a number with multiple zeros at the start). The difficulty of these puzzles is measurable. However, they cannot be cheated on. This is because there is no way to perform better than by guessing blindly.
The aim of mining is to use your computer to guess until it comes up with a hash value that is less than whatever the target may be. If you are the first to do this, then you have mined the block (normally this takes millions and billions of computer generated guesses from around the world). Whoever wins the block will get a reward of 12.5 bitcoins (as long as it becomes part of the longest blockchain). The winner doesn’t technically make the bitcoin, but the coding of the blockchain algorithm is set up to reward the person for doing the mining and thus helping to verify the blockchain.
Each block is created in sequence, including the hash of the previous block. Because each block contains the hash of a prior block, it proves that it came afterward. Sometimes, two competing blocks are formed by different miners. They may contain different transactions of bitcoin spent in different places. The block with the largest total proof of work embedded within it is chosen for the blockchain.
This works to validate transactions because it makes it incredibly difficult for someone to create an alternative block or chain of blocks. They would have to convince everyone on the network that theirs is the correct one, the one that contains sufficient proof of work. Because everyone else is also working on the ‘true’ chain, it would take a tremendous amount of CPU power to beat them. One of the biggest fears of Bitcoin is that one group may gain 51% control of the blockchain and then be able to influence it to their advantage, although thankfully this has been prevented so far.
Who Are Bitcoin Miners?
Initially, bitcoin miners were just cryptography enthusiasts. People who were interested in the project and used their spare computer power to validate the blockchain so that they could be rewarded with bitcoin. As the value of bitcoin has gone up, more people have seen mining as a potential business, investing in warehouses and hardware to mine as many bitcoin as possible.
These warehouses are generally set up in areas with low electricity prices, to further reduce their costs. With these economies of scale, it has made it more difficult for hobbyists to profit from Bitcoin mining, although there are still many who do it for fun.
Hi guys,
I'm taking some time off, like couple of months and planning to travel around Newzealand's north and south island. I'm thinking about buying an old Toyata Hiace and build something like
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/f4/dd/2c/f4dd2c19a31a42d79798b13671dc3639.jpg
Has anyone here been to new zealand or from new zealand who could share some tips?
@TalkWithStranger That's a good idea. As a mature user here, I like to discuss varied topics and not interested in adult content. I support this step.
I went to vietnam recently and had a lot of Pho there. Made me some beef pho yesterday at home. yummy!!! @Tayyaba Have you ever tried Pho?
@Weird-Doodle Welcome! There are many weird people around. You'll make some new friends soon :grin:
@EmmaMusic Mojo Jojo, he had some really cool gadgets, like access to time machine and time travel
@lucifer Interesting, too much drama here. Though I'm not fake. Anyways, good luck!
@TalkWithStranger That's a good idea. As a mature user here, I like to discuss varied topics and not interested in adult content. I support this step.
For me, it has been Etihad Airways. What I'm going to share, I hope never happens to anyone. TLDR at the end.
My wife and I had the worst experience with this airline one can ever imagine. We bought an already overpriced ticket from Islamabad to Wellington and were to fly from ISB->AUH->SYD->WLG on 1st of April, 2018. Our trip was for 3 months and we were returning from Newzealand via Etihad as well at the end of June.
On the morning of 1st April, when we reached the airport, 3 hours ahead of time, we were told by the Etihad boarding crew that they can't let us board our flight as one of the segment on our flight has a layover of 12 hours in SYD. Which means we would require a transit visa for Australia. Instead of allowing us to reschedule that segment after Abu Dhabi, even after us offering to pay the difference, they didn't allow us to board our flight to Abu Dhabi. Okay, harsh but still understandable as visas are travelers responsibility. But what they did next was shocking. We went home dejected to see an email from Expedia (through whom I booked the ticket) that there has been a change in our flights.
Etihad Airways made the following change(s) to your itinerary:
They outrageously canceled all our leading flights and return tickets (5 in all) that were due after 3 months!!!
First, out of disbelief, I thought it would be a mistake and we can get the return flights sorted out by contacting their support. How naive we were to be this optimistic. Next day, after trying out for a couple of hours to get some human on phone we lost hope. We turned to social media, as usual, that's where they listen when publicity is at stake. After a lot of support from others on our comments at Facebook, they finally called me on phone next day.
The person on the phone wasn't only rude but with broken English tried to make it our own fault and said that its Etihad policy to cancel all leading flights of a ticket for No Shows. Her thick head wasn't grasping the fact that we have proof that we have waited at the boarding desk for two hours as it can be seen from the airport log that our passports were scanned. So how can that be a no-show? Also, Is this even legal to cancel future flights like that?
Anyways long story short, they are not going to change the cancel flights, not even refund a single penny. Here is their reply
I urge everyone who is reading this to never ever fly via Etihad again. If you don't believe me. Open their facebook page and see the comments under any of their public posts. It is full of people with terrible experiences.
TLDR, We had 6 flights worth USD4,000 from PK to NZ, Etihad didn't let us fly because of a layover transit visa issue and canceled all next 5 flights, even the ones 3 months in future. No refund/No credit!
@шериф-дейтон If tomato is fruit then ketchup is jam :P
Based on what we've seen in last few years. I think emojis will be our new language. Do you think if we can communicate via emoticons on tws?
To :honeybee: or not :honeybee: is the real :exclamation_question_mark:
ps. i'm poor at this. Let me see if you can come up with something better.
@marziaaa From HP
Warning! It's too technical ;)
One of the most common analogies that people use for Bitcoin is that it’s like mining gold. Just like the precious metal, there is only a limited amount (there will only ever be 21 million bitcoin) and the more that you take out, the more difficult and resource intensive it is to find. Apart from that, Bitcoin actually works quite differently and it’s actually quite genius once you can get your head around it. One of the major differences is that mining doesn’t necessarily create the bitcoin. Bitcoin is given to miners as a reward for validating the previous transactions. So how do they do it?
Bitcoin mining requires a computer and a special program. Miners will use this program and a lot of computer resources to compete with other miners in solving complicated mathematical problems. About every ten minutes, they will try to solve a block that has the latest transaction data in it, using cryptographic hash functions.
What are Hash Functions?
A cryptographic hash function is an essentially one-way encryption without a key. It takes an input and returns a seemingly random, but fixed length hash value.
For example, if you use Movable Type’s SHA-256 Cryptographic Hash Algorithm:
Message: How does mining work?
Hash Value: 46550fef 26f87ddd 5e15407f 45a0b8d2 9513291c 4e0f0acc 24a974de 907a1569
If you change even one letter of the original input, a completely different hash value will be returned. This randomness makes it impossible to predict what the output will be.
How Are Hash Functions Useful For Bitcoin?
Because it is practically impossible to predict the outcome of input, hash functions can be used for proof of work and validation. Bitcoin miners will compete to find an input that gives a specific hash value (a number with multiple zeros at the start). The difficulty of these puzzles is measurable. However, they cannot be cheated on. This is because there is no way to perform better than by guessing blindly.
The aim of mining is to use your computer to guess until it comes up with a hash value that is less than whatever the target may be. If you are the first to do this, then you have mined the block (normally this takes millions and billions of computer generated guesses from around the world). Whoever wins the block will get a reward of 12.5 bitcoins (as long as it becomes part of the longest blockchain). The winner doesn’t technically make the bitcoin, but the coding of the blockchain algorithm is set up to reward the person for doing the mining and thus helping to verify the blockchain.
Each block is created in sequence, including the hash of the previous block. Because each block contains the hash of a prior block, it proves that it came afterward. Sometimes, two competing blocks are formed by different miners. They may contain different transactions of bitcoin spent in different places. The block with the largest total proof of work embedded within it is chosen for the blockchain.
This works to validate transactions because it makes it incredibly difficult for someone to create an alternative block or chain of blocks. They would have to convince everyone on the network that theirs is the correct one, the one that contains sufficient proof of work. Because everyone else is also working on the ‘true’ chain, it would take a tremendous amount of CPU power to beat them. One of the biggest fears of Bitcoin is that one group may gain 51% control of the blockchain and then be able to influence it to their advantage, although thankfully this has been prevented so far.
Who Are Bitcoin Miners?
Initially, bitcoin miners were just cryptography enthusiasts. People who were interested in the project and used their spare computer power to validate the blockchain so that they could be rewarded with bitcoin. As the value of bitcoin has gone up, more people have seen mining as a potential business, investing in warehouses and hardware to mine as many bitcoin as possible.
These warehouses are generally set up in areas with low electricity prices, to further reduce their costs. With these economies of scale, it has made it more difficult for hobbyists to profit from Bitcoin mining, although there are still many who do it for fun.
