2017 has been an incredible year for Bitcoin! But not just Bitcoin--if you had invested in almost any of the coins in the top 100 at http://coinmarketcap.com you would have had a great year. The problem with a year like this is that it completely spoils you. 10% in a year for a good mutual fund? Why not in a week? Why not in a day? Why not in an hour? Bitcoin started the year around $1,000 and is now trading for more than $11,000!Once I started trading, I was chasing the next opportunity and th

If you missed Part 1 check it out first. In this blog I will address two main questions: 1) Why are there so many cryptocurrencies? and 2) How can I buy and sell cryptocurrencies? (and why would I want to?)What are "alt coins?"Bitcoin got started in 2009, and it was the first of its kind. If people have heard of only one cryptocurrency (a currency backed by cryptography), then it is Bitcoin. A small percentage of people have also heard of other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, Litecoin, and

What is “currency?”When we think of currency, we think of money, such as dollars, pesos, and yen. These are called government-backed currencies, or fiat currencies (currencies that have no inherent value--just the value that people ascribe to them). Their value lies in the fact that the respective governments recognize these currencies as a legal form of exchange, and also that they insist that taxes be paid in their currency. However, their value is generally limited to the borders

My journey on WA has not been smooth sailing. I have not met my goals, and have changed directions multiple times. And lately I have basically ignored all that is available here while concentrating on teaching my classes, serving my family, being active in my church, volunteering my time, etc. But in spite of all that I still recognize how unique this space is, and I love what is available to me that I did not have before. Today I asked if I wanted to continue for another year. "Yes!" was my an

I have been getting so fed up with Microsoft, and finally I could take no more! I really loved the looks of the 27" iMac, but I was a bit appalled at the price tag. It took me a while to figure it out, but today I completed my (free!) transition to Linux, and this machine no longer has Microsoft ANYTHING! I am running the Linux Mint Cinnamon desktop, and my old (15 year old) machine is doing great.