Is Bitcoin a Good Investment to Make Now?

image of Bitcoin

Bitcoin has certainly revolutionized the way we all look at a currency. The value of Bitcoin has been constantly increasing at a rapid rate and we all are wondering where it is going to ever stop. 

So if you are eager to know if it is a good idea to invest your money in Bitcoin, you need to first understand what it means. There are different possibilities in response to the whole idea of investing in Bitcoin. You might be interested in buying the crypto currency itself hoping its value will rise or you could invest in companies related to Bitcoin as well. In addition to this, Bitcoins also allow you to day trade and make profits.

Before you make any final decisions, be noted that it is strongly advisable not to rely solely upon this information; as we are merely shedding some light on the facts here. Carry out research on your own and make an informed decision. Never rush into anything with incomplete information or you might end up regretting it later. For now, let us take a look at some of Bitcoin’s core fundamentals listed in the sections below.

Core Fundamentals

First thing to recall here is the halving protocol observed by Bitcoin, which reduces the mining volume of the crypto currency once every four years. Bitcoin was last halved last year in July and the effects caused by the decline in supply were right before our eyes.

Bitcoin is considered to be the standard of digital gold these days, which means that it seems to be a safe haven in times of economic crises. For instance, Brexit and DT caused Bitcoin to go up by 15% and 4.5% respectively. This gives us a strong idea about the credibility of the crypto currency in the current scenario.

With the advent of Bitcoin, several other crypto currencies, like OneCoin are also hitting the market. Some of them are going to succeed while others, fail. Regardless, Bitcoin would be always there to serve you whether other currencies rise or fall.

China has been a big player in the current economic scenario of the world for some time now. As a matter of fact, it is responsible for 80% of the ongoing Bitcoin mining and 75% of the ongoing trade. Not only that but Bitcoin has also been serving as a way of shipping money out of the country as a consequence to currency restrictions imposed by the Chinese government.

Considering the current trends of the world economy, it is being predicted that crypto currencies are eventually going to replace the traditional money. So, there is a good chance that Bitcoin would always be there sustaining its position in the market.

Other Considerable Factors

Everything looks pretty great so far, but you might want to consider a few downsides of this crypto currency as well. For instance, China has been showing some signs of regulating their economic patterns, so it might limit or even stop the margin trading carried out on account of Bitcoin. In addition, there has been a big confusion on what actually is represented by Bitcoin. 

Different jurisdictions seem confused between terming it as a property, a commodity or a currency. So there are some serious concerns about Bitcoin from a regulatory perspective. Last but not least, you might have noticed the continuous streak of technology towards evolution. Consider a scenario where bad actors get in control of quantum computing. As a consequence, Bitcoin may easily be destabilized through some sort of hack.

In order to summarize, it may be said that apparently, everything seems to be going in favor of investing in Bitcoin. But if you consider the broader picture, there are some notable risks as well. So if you are planning on investing in Bitcoin, it is recommended to keep your eyes open and do your research before making any final call. 

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How to Be Confident in Every Facet of Your Life

Even those that seem most confident struggle with self-doubt. Ultimately, everyone wants to be accepted and respected in their work, social and family circles.

It is rare to find a person who is naturally confident - someone who has not practiced their confidence to get to the point where they are today. Tips and tools for confidence building range from the superficial to deeper inner-voice work, and confidence building has spun multi-million dollar fortunes for various authors and motivational speakers. 

Their advice varies of course, but here, in a nutshell, is the core of what most advise you to do if you want to be confident.

      Present yourself with confidence 

     Dress in a way that makes you feel good, take a little extra time to get ready in the morning, be aware of your posture and practice strong and open body language. Studies have shown these little things make a difference in how we feel about ourselves and are perceived by others.

        Use quick pick-me-ups - If you are walking into a situation that throws you off, dig into your bag of feel-good tricks. This might be taking 60 seconds to breathe deeply and calm your nerves, giving yourself a pep talk before the mirror or listening to that song that always pumps you up at the gym.

   Practice self-reflection - Reflecting on your thoughts will help you in all areas of your life. Understanding the connection between your thoughts, moods and feelings is a skill that will be invaluable to you in personal development and professional and interpersonal relationships.

Developing an understanding of yourself will help you construct tools to manage negative and irrational thoughts and understand that your thoughts do not define you. In other words, "I am not good enough," or, "there is no way I can complete this task," might pop into your head, but that does not mean that you are not good enough or will be unsuccessful. This is simply mind chatter that only has impact if you let it.

Meditation is a good tool for learning to observe thoughts instead of feeding into negative self-talk. Today, top CEOs are talking about the importance of mindfulness and companies are even incorporating mindfulness topics into their HR policies and activities.

       Know your strengths and weaknesses 

      Be honest with yourself about what you are good at and what areas you would like to improve. This inventory should be done based on facts and examples of your successes and not based on feelings that live in your memory.

Think back to your strong points when you are feeling less than confident. Reflect on the areas of your life that you excel in and look for strength there. Did you implement a practice at work that saved the company money? Remember that the next time you are sitting at your desk and going over all of the reasons why you can't move forward.

Face your fears - Never stop challenging yourself. If you avoid difficult situations or stick to your comfort zone, you will erode the trust and confidence that you have in yourself to tackle new challenges.

This also plays into the fear of asking for help. Many of us think that it is embarrassing to ask for help, especially at work. Speaking up can actually build your confidence in the long-run as you grow your skills in weaker areas based on insights from these conversations.

Frank Medina says, "Building confidence requires you to trust yourself." Practice and remind yourself that you are enough. You are your biggest support and advocate - never betray yourself. It does take practice, but with these tips, you will be on track to building long-term self-confidence.

Are Hurricanes Getting Worse as Time Progresses?

What a season it’s been. From Harvey to Irma to Maria, the world watched as the US and the Caribbean lurched from one hurricane to the next, each successive one piling on more misery. 

The quick succession in which they came and the sheer amount of damage we all saw on TV has had people asking whether hurricanes are getting worse or not. According to scientists and experts in weather patterns, the short answer is “yes, they are getting worse.” However, that’s not to say we’re having more hurricanes.

The evidence suggests that hurricanes are in fact fewer. For instance, Harvey in the first hurricane to make landfall in the US in 11 years. However, what is getting worse is the intensity of those storms. They are stronger and causing far more damage. Hurricane Katrina had been the most expensive flooding in US history, at a cost of $160 billion, but experts believe that the recent storms will outstrip that number. Fortune magazine for instance, estimates that hurricanes Harvey and Irma, may end up costing between $150 billion and $200 billion in damage and lost productivity to cities like Houston and Miami, which were hit by them. 

What does this mean for the insurance industry?

Specifically, how will it affect flood insurance rates? Will the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) be gone, leaving only Write Your Own (WYO) Plans?

It is difficult to predict the answer to these questions and what effects these storms will have on the current flood insurance system. With regard to how the hurricanes will affect the insurance industry and flood insurance rates, it has been suggested that it could lead to a rise in insurance rates even for those who do not live in one of the areas hit by the hurricanes. This is because insurance companies will have to pay out billions of dollars to customers whose properties were destroyed or damaged by winds for, example.

Effect on NFIP and WYO

Financial analysts and insurance experts predict however, that it is the NFIP that will bear the brunt of these disasters. Established by Congress in 1968 after Hurricane Betsy, which had caused extensive flooding in Florida and Louisiana in 1965, the NFIP is administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Even though Harvey and Irma were accompanied by heavy winds which caused their own damage, much of the damage that people suffered would have resulted from flooding, and this is covered almost entirely through the NFIP. But according to the Insurance Council of Texas, only about 20 per cent of homeowners have flood insurance in Texas, meaning that uninsured losses will be quite significant.

Fortunately for those with flood insurance through the NFIP, they can recoup some of the damages and will get money from the program to help rebuild their homes. However, whether the NFIP will be able to cope with the burden is another matter. The NFIP was already financially strained prior to hurricane Harvey and hurricane Irma, and was $24 billion in debt. With this in mind, it is not inconceivable that the projected cost of these new storms could overwhelm the NFIP, and probably lead to its demise.

If that happens, that would leave only the WYO Program available to people. WYO is a program available under the NFIP that allows participating property and casualty insurers to issue NFIP flood insurance policies in their own names. The companies receive an expense allowance for the policies they write and the claims they process, while responsibility for underwriting losses remains with the federal government, which reinsures 100 percent of the coverage. In a scenario where only WYO is available, then more private insurers could step in to the flood insurance market with private policies. This would give consumers more choices for coverage and possibly even lower rates than those charged by the government.