libra

Facebook is set to launch a global cryptocurrency named Libra.

     Facebook Releasing the White Paper for their ‘Blockchain’ project Libra. the social media giant revealed. The digital coin will come online in the first half of 2020 if regulators in Switzerland, where the new currency is to be based, give the go-ahead.

         Facebook has created a management tool it has named Calibra, which will offer digital wallets to save, send and spend Libras. It will be connected to the billion-plus users of the Messenger and WhatsApp platforms as the network expands beyond social networking into the world of international finance.

 
 Facebook revealed its long-awaited cryptocurrency plans, announcing “Project Libra,” a new type of digital money designed for the billions of people using its apps and social network. If the plan is successful, users will soon be able to shop with and send the currency known as Libra on Messenger and Instagram, as well as use it with a wide variety of other merchants like 28 partner companies in the project include household names such as Mastercard, Visa, Spotify, PayPal, eBay, Uber and Vodafone, as well as venture capital firms.

The name was inspired by Roman weight measurements, the astrological sign for justice and the French word for freedom, said David Marcus, a former PayPal executive who is heading up the project.

"Freedom, justice and money, which is exactly what we're trying to do here," he said.

   Facebook finally released their much anticipated white paper on Project Libra, which may come as a surprise for those unfamiliar with the block-chain scene. It’s not customary for the large tech companies to release information about a product without any demo to share, even if it is years away from full release. However, Facebook took a route customary for block-chain projects because it has realized that timing is now pivotal for Facebook’s plans to succeed.

See Also

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libra_(cryptocurrency)
https://libra.org/en-US/white-paper
https://libra.org
What is the Bitcoin
Introduction to bitcoin mining
Bitcoin surges past $13000
Facebook - Project libra

Bitcoin

What is the BITCOIN ?

       Bitcoin is a world’s first cryptocurrency, a form of electronic cash. It is a decentralized digital currency without a central bank or single administrator that can be sent from user to user on the peer-to-peer bitcoin network without the need for intermediaries. 

     Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto and was released as open-source software in 2009. Bitcoins are created as a reward for a process known as mining. They can be exchanged for other currencies, products, and services. Research produced by University of Cambridge estimates that in 2017, there were 2.9 to 5.8 million unique users using a cryptocurrency wallet, most of them using bitcoin.

         Bitcoins are divisible into smaller units known as satoshis - each satoshi is worth 0.00000001 bitcoin.

Symbol: ₿
Ledger start: 3 January 2009
Supply limit: ₿ 21,000,000
Circulating supply: ₿ 18,062,163 (as of 22 November 2019)
Founder: Satoshi Nakamoto

How Many Bitcoins Are Mined Everyday?

      144 blocks per day are mined on average, and there are 12.5 bitcoins per block. 144 x 12.5 is 1,800, so that's the average amount of new bitcoins mined per day.

       Because many miners are adding new hash power, over the last few years blocks have often been found at 9.5 minute intervals rather than 10. This creates new bitcoins faster, so on most days there are actually more than 1,800 new bitcoins created.

Total Number of Bitcoins

     The maximum and total amount of bitcoins that can ever exist is 21 million.

How Many Bitcoins Does Satoshi Have?

     Some estimate Satoshi has around 900,000 bitcoins (BTC). This number is heavily debated, though, as some claim he has around 300,000 BTC.

How Many Bitcoin Have Been Stolen?

It's unclear exactly how many bitcoins have been stolen.

850,000 BTC were stolen in the Mt. Gox hack, which was the largest Bitcoin hack ever. Another 120,000 BTC were stolen from Bitfinex in 2016. Together, that adds up to about 970,000 BTC.

   Stolen BTC, however, does mean lost BTC. It's likely these stolen coins are still circulating, and may not even be in the hands of the original thieves.

What Happens When All 21 Million Bitcoins Are Mined?

       Right now, miners earn most of their income via the block reward. When all 21 million bitcoins are mined, there won't be a block reward to pay to miners.

       When a Bitcoin user sends a BTC transaction, a small fee is attached. These fees go to miners and this is what will be used to pay miners instead of the block reward.

See Also

Introduction to bitcoin mining
Bitcoin surges past $13000
Facebook - Project libra

bitcoin.org

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin

www.blockchain.com

btc.com

bitcoin.com
youtube.com

Bitcoin surges past $13,000

Bitcoin surges past $13,000 (BTC/USD)

  The price of bitcoin continues to climb higher, with the cryptocurrency spiking 11% against the dollar on 27.06.2019 morning. At the time of writing, Bitcoin has reached a high of $13,230 and momentum looks robust at the highest in over a year.   

     At 6.30 am Sri Lanka time, Bitcoin is up 11% against the dollar to $13,230 (BTC-USD) and up 11% against the LKR to Rs. 2,310K Earlier in the session bitcoin came close to breaking through $13,000.

    The price rise extends bitcoin’s recent rally, which has seen it climb over 200% against the US dollar so far this year and over 50% this month.

      Connor Campbell, a financial analyst at SpreadEx, said bitcoin had been “immensely aided by the launch of Facebook’s Libra, which appears to have renewed interest in the product and acted as further legitimisation of the market.”

    The next levels to watch are $14,000, $15,530, and $17,160 before the all-time high just below $20,000.

     All these lines of resistance either served as support or resistance lines back in the autumn of 2017 when Bitcoin prices were surging and in early 2018 when cryptocurrencies suffered a downfall.

See Also
What is the Bitcoin ?
Introduction to bitcoin mining
Facebook - Project libra

National Digital Roadmap

             Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) launched the National Digital Roadmap to SMART Sri Lanka at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre.

          The SLT National Digital Roadmap is a large scale ICT infrastructure development project which is planned to be implemented under the pillars of 

Smart Security,
Smart Government,
Smart Health,
Smart Building,
Smart Utilities,
Smart Environment,
Smart Transportation and Mobility,
Smart Agriculture,
Smart Money,
Smart Education,
Smart Workforce
Smart Infrastructure and
etc;

          The occasion will inaugurate the ‘Limitless You’ programme devised to consolidate the smooth segueing of Sri Lanka’s transition and transformation as a fully digitized nation.

         Today every company, every school and every department is or should be gong digital. Coupled with Artificial Intelligence, it could enhance the quality o life of every citizen.

Strawberry

           Strawberry, (genus Fragaria), genus of more than 20 species of flowering plants in the rose family (Rosaceae) and their edible fruit. Strawberries are native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and cultivated varieties are widely grown throughout the world. 

Nutrition Facts

             The fruits are rich in vitamin C and are commonly eaten fresh as a dessert fruit, are used as a pastry or pie filling, and may be preserved in many ways. The strawberry shortcake made of fresh strawberries, sponge cake, and whipped cream is a dessert.

           Strawberry farming is a multi-million dollar business around the world. The fruit is a high value crop for export and local market, though the export market has not been exploited in Sri Lanka due to limited supplies. The estimated total strawberry production in Sri Lanka is 40% while the demand is over It is worth noting that 60%

        Strawberries are easy to grow, require minimal land and thrive well in a wide range of temperatures ranging from mild to hot. Strawberries are so versatile – they just need sun, fertile, well drained soil and modest amount of water. From the smallest farm of 20 ft. x 100ft (or 1/20 acres) a farmer will earn a minimum of LKR 75 K over the production cycle.

           Strawberry is a high value crop with great potential for income generation and employment creation through cultivation and application in value added products including yogurt, fresh juice and jam. Strawberry is a delicious fruit taken fresh in several ways. It also makes excellent ice cream and Jam on account of its rich aroma, and is also a good source of vitamin C. It is a soft and a highly perishable fruit, often shipped in frozen condition in Western countries.

Environmental Conditions of Strawberry Farming

Temperature

Day-neutral strawberries will flower and set strawberries whenever  the temperature is in the range of 20 Co to 29 Co (35 Fo to 85 Fo). 29 Co is considered the upper limit at which day-neutral strawberries will produce flowers. Those growing strawberry in greenhouses should observe this fact and try and adjust temperature conditions.

Soil pH 

Strawberries prefer slightly acidic soils with a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5. Too low pH values may require applications of ground limestone to increase the pH of more acid soils. Soil pH level over 8 adversely affects certain strawberry nutrients, especially the iron levels in certain cultivars. Yellowing in strawberries is also common where soil pH is high. The use of green manures and acidifying fertilizers can reduce the soil pH to some degree.

Tripitaka declared as a National Heritage.

National ceremony to officially declare the Tripitaka as a national heritage.

        The national ceremony for declaring the ‘Tripitaka’ as a National Heritage is scheduled to be held on the Today (05th January 2019). The Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday gave approval to declare Thripitakaya, which includes Buddhist teachings, as a national heritage.

        Buddhasasana Ministry has issued a statement that all reproductions related to the Tripitaka should be done only under the supervision of the ministry. A Cabinet approval was granted under circular No. MB/01/05/2018-26

          The national ceremony to proclaim the Theravada Tripitaka as a national heritage will be held at the historic  Aluviharaya temple in Matale with the blessings of the Most Venerable 2,000 Buddhist Maha Sangha theros and under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

           The Theravada Pitaka composed of the Sutra Pitaka, the Vinaya Pitaka and the abhidhamma Pitaka of Third Dhamma Sangayana was inherited to the island as a heritage at the 3rd century B.C. and the Buddhism that was inherited and nourished throughout centuries with the fullest patronage of the state. The Mahasangha including the Maharahath Theros preserved and secured the Tripitaka through the centuries amidst such challenges was declared in written form in thalapath (ola leaves) in the 1st century B.C. at Matale Aluvihara temple.

   As an outcome of the visit of Arahath Mahinda Thera that took place in the 3rd centure B.C., Sri Lanka was blessed with the Tripitaka.
    It's Contents were transmitted by oral tradition by the Maha Sanga. Later, for the first time, the Tripitaka was committing into writing on Ola leaves at Aluviharaya, Matale in the 1st century B.C. during King Walagamba's reign.
     The Tripitaka written on Ola leaves was edited and issued in printed from in 1956 coinciding with Sri Sambuddha Jayanthiya under the guidance of Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maithriya Thera by an editorial panel lead by Ven. Labugama Lankananda Thera.

    

See Also

https://pitaka.lk/main
https://pitaka.lk/bjt
https://www.sjp.ac.lk/news/download-theravada-tripitaka
http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/LK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripitaka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwj_5CZ3_NM