Category Archives: Bitcoin

By Adam Vaughan

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Bitcoin mining consumed enough electricity last year to release carbon emissions on a par with Estonia, according to a study that suggests the climate change impact of the cryptocurrency isnt as bad as previously thought.

Past research has suggested that the emissions from mining bitcoin where computing power is used to solve mathematical problems to create new currency may be as high as 63 megatonnes of CO2 per year. Some researchers have even claimed the cryptocurrency alone could bust global climate goals.

Susanne Kohler and Massimo Pizzol at Aalborg University in Denmark found that earlier estimates had made blanket assumptions that carbon emissions from electricity generation were uniform across China, where they estimate just over half of all bitcoin mining takes place.

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But breaking down the emissions within China to a more regional level produced a much lower global footprint for the crytpocurrency, of 17.29 megatonnes of CO2 in 2018. While coal-heavy Inner Mongolia accounted for just 12.3 per cent of bitcoin mining, it resulted in more than a quarter of the total emissions. The reverse effect was seen in the hydropower-rich Chinese province of Sichuan.

The researchers also found that it is overwhelmingly the electricity use of bitcoin mining that contributes to the cryptocurrencys carbon emissions, not the production and disposal of the computers doing the mining, which accounted for just 1 per cent of the emissions.

Kohler says the findings dont mean we can stop worrying about bitcoin especially given electricity use per new bitcoin is growing but we should put it in perspective. On the one hand we have these alarmist voices saying we wont hit the Paris agreement because of bitcoin only. But on the other hand there are a lot of voices from the bitcoin community saying that most of the mining is done with green energy and that its not high impact, she says.

Getting a better handle on bitcoins carbon footprint will remain tricky until we have more accurate data on where mining takes place information which Kohler and Pizzol say is scarce today.

Camilo Mora at the University of Hawaii, who wasnt involved in the work, says the results show the need for more transparency on the location and equipment used in bitcoin mining. Even though the new estimate of the cryptocurrencys climate contribution is smaller, he says it is hard to believe the impacts from mining are trivial, given many countries, including China, are considering regulating the activity because of its large electricity consumption.

Journal reference: Environmental Science and Technology, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05687

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Excerpt from:
Bitcoins climate change impact may be much smaller than we thought - New Scientist News

A 25-year-old woman who spent $300,000 using credit card and bank account information bought with Bitcoin BTC has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

Briana Burford, of Fort Lee, transferred Bitcoin to accounts linked with carding websites four times between October and December 2018. Such websites typically host stolen or otherwise illegally obtained financial and personal identification information.

Authorities said Burford used two phone numbers connected to the Bitcoin transactions to contact banks and ask about specific bank accounts, which were then targeted for fraud.

One of the numbers was even used to contact a bank and enquire about an account that she later used to complete a $9,000 transaction.

How the Bitcoin was linked to the two phone numbers has not been revealed, but many cryptocurrency exchanges, which sell Bitcoin, require a phone number for verification purposes.

She is now facing a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Burford who is set to be sentenced in March 2020 is not the first fraudster to inadvertently expose their identity or that of their criminal colleagues.

Back in June, Hard Fork reported on how a Bitcoin dark web drug ring was busted after a dealer doxed himself buying stamps.

Yes, you read that right: the dealer bought pre-printed postage online using his real identity!

Published November 22, 2019 13:05 UTC

Excerpt from:
Cops nab fraudster by tracing phone number linked to Bitcoin purchases - The Next Web

There is a lot of chatter going on about the uncertainties of cryptocurrency and how an attempt to tame the raging seas of the crypto market could spell doom for investors. As expected, in the middle of this conversation is Bitcoin (BTC), whose popularity continues to grow in the investment world.

Although Bitcoins volatility is well-documented, this has not stopped investors from adopting cryptocurrencies as a way of effecting a diversified investment strategy. Interestingly, the volatility narrative is somewhat losing its potency as Bitcoin slowly establishes stability.

Hence, I will use this piece to analyze the growing affinity for digital assets and how Bitcoin is fast becoming a viable investment asset class for institutional investors and family offices.

The origin of Bitcoin might have caused many to doubt its efficacy. In a world grounded in a centralized culture, it is understandable that people would initially fight off an anomaly that could uproot the foundations of their belief system. At one point, people did not dare to imagine a world without a stratified institution made up of banks and governments that govern the dissemination of money and information. Now that decentralization is finding its way to even the most traditional industries, it is clear that crypto is here to stay.

Nonetheless, there remains an ounce of doubt surrounding the viability of Bitcoin as an asset class. Some believe that Bitcoin emerged out of nothing. Therefore, it is impossible that the digital asset would retain its value. However, from my recent analysis of the history of money and the various theorems that established the origin of money, it is evident that Bitcoin fulfills the core requirements that other forms of money have passed.

Interestingly, one could argue that the United States dollar, gold and other precious metals have no intrinsic worth market sentiments brought about their valuation.

Institutional investors are aware of the risks that come with allocating a large percentage of their funds to a particular asset or market indices. For one, the downturn of such a market or asset would have a crippling effect on their returns. The same is true for investors that allocate the majority of their portfolio to asset classes that have strong correlations to one another. Hence, adopting a strategy that allows the allocation of funds to different asset classes, with little or no correlation, is the appropriate solution. This is where Bitcoin excels.

VanEckpublished a study that highlighted some of the factors that aided Bitcoins ascendancy as a viable investment product. One of these factors is the digital assets correlation to major market indices. In the study, VanEck noted that Bitcoins apparent disparity from established and emerging markets makes it a suitable portfolio diversification option.

This argument holds after considering the correlation of Bitcoin to other markets from January 2012 to July 2019. While other markets had moderate correlations to one or two traditional asset classes, Bitcoin maintained a very weak correlation to all of the asset classes examined. In other words, Bitcoin could fit nicely into an investment portfolio and boost returns.

VanEcks study went further to prove Bitcoins eligibility as an investment option. This investigation entailed the assessment of the asymmetric return of portfolios allocated to varying percentages of equities, bonds and Bitcoin from January 2012 to July 2019. A portfolio with 58.5% of the fund distributed to equities, 38.5% to bonds and 0.5% to Bitcoin generated returns that surpassed that of a portfolio allocated solely to the S&P 500 by over 150% as of July 2019.

From the basic principle of supply and demand, a commodity tends to retain or increase its value when its supply does not match its demand. In other words, maintaining or increasing the demand for an asset while reducing its supply would eventually cause the price of such an asset to skyrocket. This phenomenon has played out throughout the history of Bitcoin. Bitcoins protocol automaticallyhalves its supply roughly every four years. It is also important to note that it is only possible to create new coins, or mine, a maximum of 21 million BTC, and a total of 18 million BTC has already been mined.

What all these facts and figures mean is that there is a possibility that the price of Bitcoin will continue to soar. And this might have spurred enthusiasts to predict ridiculous price possibilities. One popular crypto supporter in particularasserted that the next halving, scheduled for May 2020, could cause one Bitcoin to sell for $1 million.

Though this prediction sounds over the top, price history shows that the price of Bitcoin has always experienced a surge whenever the reward for finding new blocks undergoes a 50% cut. The last time this happened was in 2016, which led to the unprecedented bull run of 2017. Before this, a Bitcoin was selling for $657. Just over a year later, the price climbed to around $20,000 per coin. Without any doubt, the halving slated for the coming year will affect the price of Bitcoin. Although it is still unclear how much of an impact to expect, I bet that a majority of institutional investors will be closely watching the unfolding drama.

Developers are beginning to understand that sustained adoption will never come to fruition until they resolve the issues battling the efficacy of blockchains scalability and security. Hence, the development recorded in this space is nothing short of remarkable. For one, theLightning Network, designed as a sidechain to the Bitcoins blockchain, could improve scalability and reduce the cost and time for transacting. This, and more, are some of the reasons why the prospect of Bitcoins adoption is looking good.

For what its worth, the advantages of allocating a fraction of ones investment portfolio to Bitcoin trump the disadvantages.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.

Constantin Kogan is a venture partner at BitBull Capital, a board member of ABOTMI and has been a cryptocurrency investor since 2012. He has over 10 years of experience in corporate leadership, technology and finance. He contributes to the digital asset space as well as the sharing and value economies.

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Family Offices Finally Accept the Benefits of Investing in Bitcoin - Cointelegraph

Bitcointhe worlds largest and most popular cryptocurrency by market captoday dropped by roughly 5 percent within just a few hours. It is currently trading at around $8,100 per coin.

Bitcoin opened the day trading for roughly $8,520 but has since dropped in price by as much as $400. The price of Bitcoin hasnt been this low since late September, when Bakktthe Bitcoin futures exchange backed by the owners of the New York Stock Exchangedebuted to a slow start.

At the time, Bitcoin was trading for a solid $9,500, though Bakkts dismal introduction to the market led the cryptocurrency to fall by more than $1,400 just days later.

The price of Bitcoin recuperated somewhat in late October following positive comments about blockchain from Chinas president, Xi Jinping. China's president stated that he believed blockchain could potentially revitalize his countrys economy and infrastructure, and that he would be pushing blockchain innovation in the coming months.

In the weeks since, Bakkt has seen a boost in its business, trading more than $18 million in bitcoin futures contracts during the final week of October. Bitcoin then seemingly recovered, spiking to around the $10,000 per coin mark briefly before falling back into the $9,000 range.

Be the first to get Decrypt Members. A new type of account built on blockchain.

And while the price has, of course, continued to bounce up and down within the last few weeks, today marks the most volatility that Bitcoin has experienced in some time. And the rest of the market is feeling it too.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH), EOS (EOS) and Litecoin are all currently down by roughly six to eight percent, according to data from Messari.

See the original post:
Bitcoin price plunges 5 percent to $8,100 within hours - Decrypt

Bitcoin has shaken the establishment over the years as those who couldnt understand the cryptocurrency have outright rejected it as a pump-and-dump scheme or as a fraud. However, bitcoins price gains have clearly proven those critics wrong. This is exactly what Twitter user Rhytmtrader pointed out recently.

The price change since they criticized bitcoin:

Peter Schiff: 43,492%Nouriel Roubini: 13,052%Emin Gn Sirer: 3,462%Warren Buffett: 1,103%Paul Krugman: 963%Jamie Dimon: 840%Larry Fink: 58%Ben Bernanke: 37%Brad Sherman: 23%Donald Trump: -32%Janet Yellen: -54%

Rhythm (@Rhythmtrader) November 21, 2019

Lets take a closer look at how some of these prominent bitcoin critics have got it all wrong.

Peter Schiff is a well-known gold bug and a big-time bitcoin hater who doesnt let go of any opportunity to criticize the crypto asset. It was only a few days ago that Schiff called the cryptocurrency a pump and dump scheme. And then a few days later, he made a wild claim stating that bitcoin is all set to go down badly thanks to the pot stock crash.

But despite Schiffs best efforts, the price of bitcoin has gone in only one direction north. Schiffs dislike for bitcoin came to the fore just over eight years ago in June 2011, when the cryptocurrency was trading below $20.

Schiff believes that bitcoin has no intrinsic value. He favors gold, stating that the yellow metal has value and can be used for different purposes such as jewelry and electronics. But he seems to be forgetting that bitcoin has come to the rescue of people when banking systems and governments have failed. The divisibility of bitcoin and the fact that it can be used to quickly execute transactions at low costs are utilities that Schiff has conveniently ignored.

So, while bitcoin adoption has gained steam, Schiff has lost out on a ton of money.

Rhytmtraders list also includes economists Nouriel Roubini and Paul Krugman, whose ignorance toward bitcoin has cost a big opportunity to enhance their wealth. Roubini gets happy every time theres a development against crypto.

Good news for 1.4 bil Indians whose savings will not be suckered into 1000s of shitcoins that already lost 99% of their value from peak. Crypto is a massive driver of inequality: sleazy criminal whales getting rich at expense of retail suckers. Inequality in crypto worse than NK! https://t.co/8n9CWGFPvC

Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) July 23, 2019

He believes that it is a tool that creates inequality by putting money in the hands of criminals. Roubini might not have had the same views had he brought bitcoin when the cryptocurrency was taking off. It was in April 2013 when Roubini started ranting against bitcoin, and it must be really painful for him to see how the flagship crypto asset has taken off ever since despite the ups and downs.

Gold-bug suckers found another irrational useless bubble fad, the Bitcoin, the bubble flavor of the day. So they are dissin gold 4 Bitcoin

Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) April 9, 2013

Paul Krugman is another economist who doesnt have a very bright view of the cryptocurrency. In September 2011, Krugman said that the crypto asset is susceptible to money-hoarding, deflation, and depression. However, it has emerged that bitcoins uncorrelated nature to the stock market and the broader economy is a blessing in disguise.

As it turns out, institutional investors have been pouring money into bitcoin. This is a validation of the crypto asset, and it wouldnt have happened if the words of the critics listed above carried some weight. All of this means that the critics have been wrong this entire time, and they might not get any redemption in the future either.

Click here for a real-time bitcoin price chart.

View original post here:
Bitcoin Price Gains Prove These Critics Were Dead Wrong - CCN Markets

Bitcoin kept bleeding on Friday, extending the gradual losses from the past weeks. BTC broke below $7,000 just around the time US markets opened on Friday, sliding to $6,791.46.

The reason for the breakdown of bitcoin may be the wallet of the Plus Token scam, which is once again selling its haul through Huobi. In the past months, the size and scale of the scheme became known, as well as one of its chief wallets containing 38,000 BTC.

The Plus Token scam was largely unknown until the summer of 2019, as it was spreading mostly through Chinese-speaking channels. The scheme took away as much as $2.9 billion in BTC.

Until recently, the Plus Token wallets only sent small regular transactions of 600 to 1,000 BTC per day, slowly liquidating the haul. But as bitcoin entered a bearish setup, the selling has accelerated. Reportedly, Plus Token gathered 200,000 BTC and 800,000 ETH.

The decision to sell arrives at a moment when Chinese authorities, both governmental and local, turned more hawkish to local cryptocurrency projects and attempts at selling tokens. Peoples Bank of China also announced it would crack down on cryptocurrency exchanges, also outlining token sale projects pushing their products aggressively.

The current correction may be due to the over-reaction, which pushed Chinese enthusiasm for Bitcoin over the top.

The move by Plus Token may arrive after fears of more significant repercussions, especially after reports of recent crypto-related arrests.

The rapid move of Chinese authorities against local crypto businesses may cut short the heightened activity on exchanges that serve Chinese trading interest. A crackdown could also dampen local OTC activity.

The Plus Token selling also means that some of the pyramid members are still at large and capable of controlling wallets. But with recent reports and arrests in Chinese offices of crypto firms, Plus Token once again attempts to liquidate urgently.

Analysis reveals that Plus Token attempted to mix its bitcoin through Wasabi Wallet, though most of its activity remained traceable. At this point, analysts still recognize transactions originating from some of the related addresses.

What do you think about the latest Bitcoin price crash? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Images via Shutterstock, Twitter @Doveywan @ErgoBTC

Original post:
Bitcoin Breaks $7,000 as Whale Dumps on Huobi - Bitcoinist

Ripple price is now trading below key supports against the US Dollar and bitcoin. XRP price might continue to face sellers near the $0.2480 and $0.2500 resistance levels.

In the past three sessions, there was a sharp decline in bitcoin price below the $7,800 support, resulting in a downward push in ripple and Ethereum against the US Dollar. XRP/USD failed to stay above the $0.2450 and $0.2420 support levels, and declined heavily.

Moreover, the price broke the $0.2400 support area and settled well below the 100 hourly simple moving average. Finally, the price tested the $0.2350 support area and a low was formed near $0.2347.

Recently, the price started an upside correction above the $0.2400 resistance area. Besides, there was a break above the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent drop from the $0.2526 high to $0.2347 low.

However, the previous support near the $0.2450 and $0.2460 levels is currently acting as a resistance. Additionally, the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recent drop from the $0.2526 high to $0.2347 low is also near the $0.2458 level.

More importantly, there is a new bearish trend line forming with resistance near $0.2450 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. Therefore, ripple price might struggle to clear the $0.2450 and $0.2460 resistance levels.

Should there be an upside break above the $0.2460 resistance, the price could test the $0.2500 area and the 100 hourly SMA. The main resistance for a trend change is near the $0.2580 level.

On the downside, an initial support is near the $0.2400 level. If the price fails to stay above $0.2400, it will most likely continue lower towards the $0.2350 support area.

Ripple Price

Looking at the chart, ripple price is clearly positioned in a downtrend below the $0.2450 level. As long as the bears remain in action and the price is below $0.2500, there could be more downsides in the near term.

Hourly MACD The MACD for XRP/USD is struggling to remain in the bullish zone.

Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) The RSI for XRP/USD is currently just above the 40 level, with a minor bullish angle.

Major Support Levels $0.2400, $0.2360 and $0.2350.

Major Resistance Levels $0.2450, $0.2460 and $0.2500.

Here is the original post:
Ripple (XRP) Price Trend Overwhelmingly Negative, Bitcoin Dives To $7.5K - newsBTC

In the first part of our interview with John McAfee, we discussed various topics in-depth, such as his run for President, McAfeeDex, and his opinion on stablecoins. Today, we continue talking about the future of cryptocurrencies and the governments role in it. Mr. McAfee also told me about the story behind the upcoming film King of the Jungle. It is based on the story of the Wired reporter Joshua Davis and his three weeks with McAfee in Belize. Lets jump right into it.

WARNING: Do not attempt to duplicate, recreate, or perform the same or similar stunts or tricks with guns as personal injury and/or property damage may result. U.Today is not responsible for any such injuries or damages.

U.Today: Youre launching a new token called Epstein Didnt Kill Himself. What can you tell me about this token? Why did you call it that? Why is Hillary Clinton being advertised in the picture?

John McAfee: Okay, it's obviously a joke coin like Dogecoin. There are a couple of things with this token. I believe very strongly that Jeffrey Epstein did not kill himself. I think it's in the interest of the American people and perhaps the world to understand that we must find those responsible for it, and trace it back to those corrupt individuals in power who can do things like wack people while they're in jail. Being in jail is the easiest place to kill someone, and every gangster knows this. So, a little bit to that extent, I took advantage of the memes floating around the Internet. Jeffrey Epstein Didn't Kill Himself is a big meme. Everybody was making memes so I thought I would make my own. Mine is the WHACKD token, and with every transaction, 10% is skimmed off the top. With every 1,000 transactions, 1 receiver will lose everything - the entire transaction. It's just whacked. The coin acts as if its in a crypto environment, in which there are criminals skimming off the top. There are people whacking entire assets from someone else.

Now, what's not a joke - after we constructed this [token], I realized that we've created a truly deflationary token. I mean those who want to exchange or sell their tokens will be the losers, right? Its because the more they sell, the less volume available. What I mean is that with fewer tokens, the ones who are holding onto their supply will see that supply increase in value. It's just a great social experiment.

U.Today: So what about Hillary Clinton?

John McAfee: You know, I know nothing whatsoever about the lady. Ive never had dinner with her, nor have I shaken hands with her. So, I am not one to answer anything about her. I mean, rumors on the internet are just rumors on the internet. I mean they're sparked by God knows who, and are extinguished by the next rumor.

Image viahttp://mcafee2020.com/

U.Today: So, its just a joke?

John McAfee: Yes, it was just a joke. Of course, the whole thing is just a meme. You know, a meme looks at a particular situation from a whimsical or interesting aspect. This is what makes it funny. That's all, and so people are creating memes. This one is mine.

U.Today: Did you know Jeffrey Epstein personally?

John McAfee: No, I did not.

U.Today: What are your thoughts on Chinas digital currency - the Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP)? Will the US launch a digital US Dollar in the near future?

John McAfee: I think that every country and every nation state on this planet will launch their own cryptocurrency. I mean they will be forced to do so because it is so clear that fiat currencies, paper currencies, and even credit cards are so vastly inferior in terms of safety, speed, and ease. In terms of the entire economy, cryptocurrencies are vastly superior, so governments will have to create their own. People, please be aware that all of the coins created by governments on blockchains will monitor your every penny, where it goes, and for what purpose. I mean it's just one more bar in your cage. You can seize upon the opportunities offered by cryptocurrencies, which came by way of the people, and not from the government or from corporations. Just a bunch of ordinary programmers.

I came from the people and take what the people continue to create, which will always be vastly superior to those monolithic, slow-moving dinosaur-like entities called governments. They just can't create them fast enough, but the people can. So let the people continue to create and everyone thats listening to me, please choose the digital currency created by the people. There are thousands. It may take you a little bit of learning, a couple of hours maximum, but learn and understand them. And please don't use the government cryptocurrencies even if they say you must use them. They said that we shouldnt smoke marijuana for the last 75 years. I've heard that people still smoke marijuana. So, you tell me about the difference. Please people, stick with the people, and not with the power that has been suppressing you for thousands of years.

U.Today: Okay. Do you still believe that Bitcoin (BTC) will hit its $1 million dollar mark by the end of 2020? We all remember what you were going to do if it doesnt hit that mark. What are the reasons that support your belief?

John McAfee: Because Bitcoin is another deflationary currency. No one has noticed this yet. I don't understand it. There are only 21 million [coins] that can ever exist, and 18 million [coins] have already been mined. This leaves only 3 million left, and it will take many years to mine those 3 million coins. In the meantime, 7 million coins have been lost forever, and for every coin that's mined, four are lost. Do you understand? This is the world's first automatic deflationary currency.

Since nobody seems to have noticed that, I promise you that when they do, which will be within a matter of months, people will go, Oh my God, look what we missed!

Image viahttp://mcafee2020.com/

U.Today: But why 2020?

John McAfee: Well, because 2020 is 14 months away. I mean the end of 2020. Trust me, that's plenty of time.

U.Today: Do you really know Satoshi Nakamoto? How do you know him? Can you give us some details that wont compromise Satoshis identity? Is it a man, a woman, or a group of people?

John McAfee: I do. Satoshi is a man. That's all I can tell you. Of course, I know who he is, but let me ask you a question. Everybody wants to know about Satoshi, and I was just ready to say something. I was asked not to tell anyone, and while he did not admit to me that he was Satoshi, he did say one thing, Imagine if the world knew who Satoshi was. Satoshi's life would have to change. Yes. He is certainly one of the world's richest entities. He would have to surround himself with armed guards because he would be the target of criminals, and he would have to change his way of living. He couldn't just go out in the middle of the night, down to the coffee shop, kick up his feet, light a cigarette, and have an espresso - that part of his life is over. He then said:

So, you want to radically change someone's life. What makes you think you have that right? What if you were the 1% that was wrong? You would have totally destroyed an innocent person's life whos now incapable of going to the store or a movie without hiring two dozen, full-time armed guards. Hes at the mercy of the people.

After he said that, I thought, Jesus. My sincerest apologies. I am a stupid old man for not thinking this through. So, do you want me to tell you now?

U.Today: No, please dont. Can you tell me a little about the film King of the Jungle? Did you have a particular role in this film, such as with casting or a cameo in a potential scene? Are you looking forward to this film?

John McAfee: I have nothing to do with the movie. I have nothing to do with any documentary that's been done about my life. This is not a documentary though, it is a fiction. Even though I wasn't consulted, I've been in touch with the screenwriters, as theyre really funny and enjoyable people. But I have no control over the film, nor do I know anything about the casting or anything other than what I read in the news. I find out at the same time as the rest of the world.

I do know that, uh, who is the new kid (*McAfee speaking with his wife Janice and asking her the name of the kid playing the reporter), ZacEfron. Apparently, he's an actor. I don't know as I don't get out much. I seldom watch movies. Documentaries are my thing. ZacEfron is playing the reporter that came down to visit me. It's based on a three-week in-depth story about my life in Belize, where Wired reporter Joshua Davis came down to spend a few weeks with me. I expected him to come down and spend an hour or two, or even a day interviewing me, which I was willing to do. However, he wanted to be with me all the time, or at least when he thought I was doing something interesting. Most people would have said, Oh, you crazy. But I said, All right, if you think you're up for it. Well, he was not up for it. He was literally traumatized by hanging out with me for three weeks.

Image viahttp://mcafee2020.com/

Afterwards, he went back and wrote a story for Wired. There was actually an eBook called John McAfee's Last Stand. I never read it. I mean, I was with him at the time. What can his writing tell me about the events? In the book, he put down what he thought were horrific things. For example, the cover of the ebook is certainly a well-known photo of me with no shirt, my tattoos, and a gun to my head. That's on the cover of the book. After it was all written, they got that photo by sending photographers down here because Josh is a writer, not a photographer.

That [photo] was based on his second day with me, when we were sitting in San Pedro at a big oak table. He was so naive about life. And I said Joshua! You have to understand, you can't believe anything that you hear. Only half of what you see, and this is the truth. And he said, Well, that's nonsense. That's philosophy. And I go, Hey, watch this. I always carry a gun. I pulled out a .357 Magnum revolver, emptied the rounds onto the table, showed him that it was empty, picked up one of the rounds, put it in the gun, spun the cylinder, put it to my head, and pulled the trigger. And he was screaming, No, don't! Dont! You know, he's a slightly built young man, and he's not gonna **** with me or do something because he's literally screaming, You don't have to do this! And I said, Okay. Well, I apologize.

Image viahttp://mcafee2020.com/

I then spun the cylinder again and it went click, and now he is totally ****ing frantic. While he's frantically screaming for me not to do it, I'm just sitting there spinning the cylinder while he's yelling. I must've done it 35 times. I then said, Now, Josh, watch this. So with a gun in my hand, I took him outside to the beach, aimed the gun at the sand, and pulled the trigger. Boom! Sand goes flying everywhere. Now, Josh is a writer. Any mathematician would know, You know dude, if you've got a bullet in there, there is no powder in that cartridge. I mean, any rational person would say that, and by the way Mr. McAfee, that is a great trick. With Josh, it was a no.

You just pick one up, put it in the gun, and play Russian Roulette. Any magician would have gone and said that's a good trick. Any rational person would have gone and said, That's a trick. How did you do it? But Josh being naive took it for real. So that was his second day. So for the next three weeks, I ****ed with him in ways that made that look like a kindergartener pick a card and get the wrong card.

So, what I would do if there was no imminent danger and I wanted to **** with someone, I would always take one of the rounds out of the gun, pry off the bullet, fire the cap so that there's no gunpowder and there's no firing cap now, take another bullet, insert it back in the casing and put that back in the gun. I could always spot which bullet it was because there was an indentation where the firing pin had hit the primer. So, I could dump my bullets anywhere, but no one else would have noticed the indentation. Right? They're just noticing bullets flying everywhere. You just pick one up, put it in the gun, and play Russian Roulette. Any magician would have gone and said that's a good trick. Any rational person would have gone and said, That's a trick. How did you do it? But Josh being naive took it for real. So that was his second day. So for the next three weeks, I ****ed with him in ways that made that look like a kindergartener pick a card and get the wrong card.

After three weeks of that, Josh was literally traumatized. I don't feel bad about it because I hate organized media and the way that they select stories. There are trillions of stories to be told at any point in time. And who are our storytellers today? The media. The mass media are our storytellers, and there are trillions of stories that they could write about. What do they focus on? The things which are in their interest or in the interest of their sponsors or their controllers. Now I had Josh, who was being less naive. If you are naive, then why are you in the media at all? It's people like you who should not be here. So I felt justified. I waited two days before I decided, All right, you're going to get your story, but you're going to get the story that I choose for you.

I chose the story of John McAfee's insanity, and played that story for him for three weeks. That's what the movie is about, and thats why its a comedy. But I have no control over it. I think that the screenwriters are great, but I don't know how they're going to do this. I've read the synopsis, which is about that three week period. That's the entire movie.

I chose the story of John McAfee's insanity, and played that story for him for three weeks. That's what the movie is about, and thats why its a comedy.

U.Today: Why didn't you want Johnny Depp to play you in the film?

John McAfee: I don't think Johnny Depp has experience in life. Not in acting per say, but because even to me, Im a mystery. Some people think Im more of a mystery, while others think Im insane. With todays standards, I probably am, and I'll tell you what is sane today. Sane is buying all of the propaganda that the government and the media feed you while as your commuting to work for up to an hour each way, five days a week for 40 years in a job that you may not love. Thats considered sane because that's what everybody does. So, in that world, of course, there's nobody more insane than me.

U.Today: Last question - What do you think the web will look like in 50 years from now?

John McAfee: The first thing that comes to my mind is God, I would love to be here to see it, but I will not. The second thought is that 20 years ago, I could not have predicted today, nor could anyone on this planet. I have no idea where you are, but that doesn't matter because we're talking face to face. I see your smiling face, your gestures, and your eyes blinking as if youre here. Could you have imagined this 20 years ago? No, the technology did not exist, nor did the concepts other than in Star Trek movies. Now, they're here. So I would be the last person to ask given the history and the 74 years that I've experienced on this planet. The sky is open.

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Exclusive Interview with John McAfee: Epstein Didnt Kill Himself, Bitcoin to Hit $1 million, & Rus - U.Today

Investing in Bitcoin or gold has become increasingly popular in 2019. After all, theyve both delivered strong returns, with the virtual currency rising by over 100% and the precious metal moving over 15% higher.

Looking ahead, they could continue to deliver strong gains in the short run. However, over the long run they both face risks which may make them less appealing than some investors realise.

As such, buying shares could prove to be a better idea. Low valuations across the FTSE 100 may mean that its returns are relatively high, while its risks can be limited through a diversification strategy.

Bitcoin faces a highly uncertain future. Not only is it impossible to gauge whether the virtual currency offers good value for money or not, regulatory threats remain an ongoing risk to its performance.

A number of lawmakers, such as central bankers, have stated theyve major concerns about Bitcoin and other virtual currencies. Should this lead to changing regulations, it could hurt the growth prospects of the cryptocurrencys price in the coming years.

Gold may also face a more challenging long-term outlook than its current price suggests. Although interest rates in the US have fallen in recent months, theyre unlikely to remain at a low ebb in perpetuity.

Therefore, when they do rise, gold could become less appealing compared to income-producing assets. This may cause its price growth to slow in the coming years.

Additionally, if investor sentiment picks up, riskier assets such as stocks may become more appealing than gold. Since the stock market has always recovered from its periods of uncertainty, this situation appears to be highly likely over the long term.

While the stock market may experience a period of uncertainty in the short run that leads to capital losses for investors, this could present a long-term buying opportunity.

Across the FTSE 100, there are a number of companies that currently offer margins of safety. Over time, their discounts to intrinsic value may narrow and lead to capital gains for their investors.

Crucially, its relatively simple for investors to gauge whether a specific company offers good value for money. This is in contrast to Bitcoin, where investor sentiment is the sole determinant of price. As such, it may be easier to capitalise on the cyclicality of the stock market than it is for the virtual currency.

In addition, many FTSE 100 shares offer high income returns at the present time. The history of the stock markets total returns shows the reinvestment of dividends can make a major impact on overall returns in the long run. Therefore, the income appeal of shares versus gold could make them a better place to invest for the long term.

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Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makesus better investors.

Motley Fool UK 2019

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Forget Bitcoin and gold! Id invest 5k in the FTSE 100 today - Yahoo Finance UK

Louisiana-based Whinstone US, Inc.a developer of high-speed data centersis teaming up with Bitcoin mining firm Northern Bitcoin AG of Frankfurt, Germany, to build a new mining facility in Texas, according to a press release issued yesterday.

The new joint company will build a center that is slated to have an energy capacity of one gigawatt and cover approximately 100 acres of the Lone Star State, which the company claims will make up the largest data center in North America and the largest Bitcoin mining facility in the world.

Construction on the facility will occur in three phases, with the first set to begin during the first quarter of 2020, and the last scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. According to the press release, the firms already have two clients on board that, while unnamed, are purportedly two stock-listed corporations involved in bitcoin mining.

With Northern Bitcoin AG, we have found the ideal partner to position our successful business development on the capital market from now on, said Whinstone co-founder and Managing Director Aroosh Thillainathan in a statement. The joint company has the immediate potential to shape the future course of the global mining industry.

And if all that sounds vaguely familiar, its likely because the worlds leading Bitcoin mining firmthe China-based Bitmainjust weeks ago announced it was finally ready to open up its very own Texas mining farm in Rockdale. Following nearly a year of construction delays, Bitmain announced that the mining operation would contain roughly 50 megawatts of power, but that this figure would later be expanded to 300 megawatts, supposedly making that the largest Bitcoin mining facility on Earth.

However, Whinstone and Northern Bitcoin said in their joint announcement that their facility will have over 300 megawatts of power following the completion of just the first phase of construction. In other words, the Whinstone/Northern Bitcoin complex will purportedly have even more power than Bitmains facility before its building is even halfway completed.

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This is a pretty big claim coming from a company that, according to its LinkedIn page, only employs between 11 and 50 people. Thats a far cry from the nearly 3,000 employees at Bitmain, a company that garnered close to $3 billion in annual revenue in 2017. Can the market expect a showdown between Bitcoin mining giants in Texas?

Mathis SchultzCEO of Northern Bitcoinexplained in a statement, With this merger, we are catapulting ourselves faster than originally planned to the top of the world in bitcoin mining. Whinstones team has done a great job over the past few years and is proving its leadership in the blockchain industry.

Whinstone opened its doors for business five years ago and has already established cryptocurrency mining centers in several European countries, including Sweden and the Netherlands. Stepping into the crypto space in 2018, Northern Bitcoin operates a bitcoin mining facility in Norway that claims to run on 100 percent renewable energy.

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Another major Bitcoin mining farm is set to open in Texas - Decrypt