A cryptocurrency is a type of currency which uses digital files as money. Usually, the files are created using the same ways as cryptography (the science of hiding information). Digital signatures can be used to keep the transactions safe, and let other people check that the transactions are real. The first cryptocurrencies were made to be free of government-given currencies.
Cryptocurrencies use 'decentralized control', which means that they aren't controlled by one person or government. This is different to 'centralized' electronic money and central banks. The control of each cryptocurrency works through a distributed ledger (a list of transactions shared by everyone), usually a blockchain, that serves as a public financial transaction database.
Bitcoin, first released as open-source software in 2009, is often called the first decentralized cryptocurrency. Since then, over 4,000 cryptocurrencies (sometimes called '"altcoins"', which is short for "alternative coins") have been created.
In many cases, cryptocurrencies cannot be converted to real currencies; it is only possible to convert them to other cryptocurrencies, or to use them to buy things. Some cryptocurrencies can be converted to real currencies: They usually have a high volatility, and using them carries a high risk. They are also a target for so-called Pump-and-Dump-Attacks. They act like a big distributed economic system: As they are not issued or controlled by central banks, their value is difficult to influence: For this reason, they cannot really take the place of a stable currency.
Cryptocurrencies are prone to speculation, which makes building a system of more or less stable exchange rates very difficult. Another problem is the inequality of distribution: Many cryptocurrencires are held by only few people. As an example: about 1.000 people hold half of the total amount of bitcoins in the world. This means that if any of these persons starts using their cryptocurrency, this has an effect on the exchange rate. It also means that these people have a great influence on the value of the currency, and are able to change its value easily. The currency itself only documents ownership changes. Exchange rates of cryptocurrencies are established outside the system. Exchange rates are issued by brokers and traders; their indication is no guarantee that the currency is traded at the value proposed. In itself, the unit of cryptocurrency has no value.
In contrast to cyptocurrencies, real currencies are issued and controlled by central banks. Certain econnomic phenomena such as inflation or deflation may change the value (and exchange rate) of a currency. The people who own units of the currency have no direct influence on its value.
According to Jan Lansky, a cryptocurrency is a system that meets six conditions:
In March 2018, the word ""cryptocurrency"" was added to the "Merriam-Webster Dictionary".
Villeret
Villeret can mean:
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DNSR) was a cross-country railway running north–south between Didcot, Newbury and Winchester in England.
The line opened in stages between 1882 and 1885. Owing to lack of money, it never reached Southampton, so trains from Winchester to Southampton went by another route.
The line closed between 1960 and 1962 and some sections have become cycle routes. There are plans to build a cafe, the "Handlebar Cafe", on the cycle route near Winchester.
David Plouffe
David Plouffe (; born May 27, 1967) is an American political strategist who helped propel the Barack Obama Presidential campaign to success in the 2008 US Elections where he served as campaign manager.
In 2017, he joined Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan's charity organization, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, after leaving Uber as a lead effort and advocacy.
Plouffe was born in Wilmington, Delaware to Frances Vincent and James Plouffe.
Duodecimal
The duodecimal system (also known as base 12, dozenal, or rarely uncial) is the number system with a base of twelve. In the duodecimal system, large numbers are expressed by groups of 12. For example, the number fifty (which we usually write as 50) would be written as 42 in the dozenal system, since it is equal to 4×12+2.
The number 12 is the smallest number that has four factors (2, 3, 4, 6). If one divide the numbers 10 and 12 with 3, the results will be 3.333... and 4, respectively. Doing the same thing with 6, the results will be 1.666... and 2. So, the duodecimal system can control the fractions better than the decimal system.
There are no numerical symbols that represent 10 and 11 in duodecimal, so letters taken from the English alphabet are used, specifically X (from the Roman numeral for ten) and E (from the initial of eleven). Some people use A and B (as in hexadecimal) as well.
Edna Kramer in her 1951 book "The Main Stream of Mathematics" used * and # for decimal 10 and 11. The symbols were chosen because they are available in typewriters and push-button telephones.
This article uses "X" and "E" for decimal 10 and 11.
Alberto Fouilloux
Alberto Jorge Fouilloux Ahumada (22 November 1940 – 23 June 2018) was a Chilean football midfielder and striker. He earned 70 caps and scored 12 goals for the Chile national team during his career.
After retiring as a player Fouilloux went on to become a manager, serving as head coach of Huachipato and Colo-Colo.
Fouilloux died on June 23, 2018 aged 77 in Santiago, Chile of lung cancer.
Phan Huy Lê
Phan Huy Lê (23 February 1934 – 23 June 2018) was a Vietnamese historian. He was born in Lộc Hà district. He was professor of history at the Hanoi National University.
Phan was the author of many studies on village society and Vietnamese history in general. He was thought by many as "doyen of Vietnamese historians." He was also director of the Center for Vietnamese and Intercultural Studies at Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Phan died of heart disease on 23 June 2018 in Hanoi, aged 84.
Prime Minister of South Korea
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (국무총리 / 國務總理, "Gungmuchongni") is appointed by the President of South Korea, with the National Assembly's approval. The officeholder is not required to be a member of the National Assembly. The Prime Minister is not the head of government but is similar to that of a vice president.
The Sino-Korean word "gungmu" (/) means "state affairs" and "chongni" (/) means "prime minister", "premier" or "chancellor", so the full title in Korean means literally "Prime Minister for State Affairs", but it is not used as official English title. The short title in Korean is just "Chongni".
Lee Nak-yeon
Lee Nak-yeon (, born 20 December 1951), also known as Lee Nak-yon, is a South Korea politician. He was the 45th Prime Minister of South Korea.
Lee Hong-koo
Lee Hong-Koo (born May 9, 1934; Hangul: 이홍구; Hanja: 李洪九) is a former Korean academic and politician. He served as a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, former South Korean Ambassador to the United Kingdom and United States, and founding Chairman of the East Asia Institute in Seoul.
Lho Shin-yong
Lho Shin-yong (Korean: 노신영, 28 February 1930 – 21 October 2019) was a South Korean politician, diplomat and intelligence chief. He served as the 18th Prime Minister, the 18th Foreign Minister and the 12th Director of the Agency of National Security Planning (ANSP, now National Intelligence Service) of the fifth South Korean republic.
Lho died in Seoul on 21 October 2019 at the age of 89.
Violeta Rivas
Ana María Francisca Adinolfi (known by her stage name, Violeta Rivas; 4 October 1937 – 23 June 2018) was an Argentine singer and actress. She was born in Buenos Aires. She was known for singing in the music program "El Club del Clan".