#Digital Issue - Dec 2022

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[styxxsyringe]

could you show a little bit of your art progression over the years? your style is absolutely magnificent btwbtw!!

sure ! i've done a similar post, but that was focused on shape language and didn't go over all of my art progression. i'll link it at the end of this post!

anyway, i started digital art around 7 years ago, but all of the art from that period is essentially lost. at that time, it was just deviantart bases and various furry/warrior cats fanart made in MS paint. while i'm not a fan of vivziepop anymore, she was a big inspiration at that time, as well as a handful of popular animation meme artists at the time. around 2019, i started making art in krita using a mouse. and later that year, i started making art in ibispaint (mostly skullgirls fanart). unfortunately, practically everything from before 2020 is lost because it was on reddit accounts that i had deleted out of cringe. don't delete your old art ever!!! i do have this piece though, made in 2020 on krita with a mouse. my main inspirations were invader zim and other cartoons.

my artstyle took a lot of dips and turns around this time. i got back into anime, and it influenced my style in a way that i think made it really ugly and bad looking. i also refused to ever flip my canvas. i think this era actually held me back. here's an example.

anyway, by 2021, i had gotten into more anime that influenced my style in a different way. i forget the exact ones, but i did watch a lot of stuff from trigger (like BNA and LWA) at the time, and also got into enstars which influenced my compositions a lot. it's also around the time that nova in her current "space astronaut bunny" concept was born. i started experimenting with backgrounds, color palletes, and colored lines, which was crucial. i look back at this era pretty fondly. though i still refused to flip my canvas :D

by 2022, my artstyle looked like this -

(this is actually from dec 2021 but like. it's still what my artstyle looked like)

i had played world's end club and rewatched panty and stocking, and it changed my brain chemistry. i decided that my artstyle would be "60% anime, 40% western cartoon", and despite some shortlived phases where i'd go for a slightly different style, i still kept it up. looking at least year's art summary, though, you can see that i broke away from that style for something more anime. and also, i hardly ever experimented with colors anymore because i was focused on character design. i'm gonna be real i think everything after july looks like absolute bootycheeks. i hate this weird single tiny dot reflection style i had going on it looks like dogwater.

after 2022, my art was in a miserable transitional period where i had zero clue what direction i wanted to go in. but despite all that, this piece in particular is crucial. because i used halftones in the background. it's foreshadowing!!!

i continued like this for a while, until the time where i decided to play around with shapes with those vocaloid big 8 drawings. people really liked the shapes that i used in that one, and i found them fun to draw. so i started exaggerating more, and after i rewatched panty and stocking for the 307492020506th time, as well as invader zim for the 2nd time, my cartoony roots came back.

and then, when my art was already steadily improving, across the spiderverse dropped, and i watched it. funnily enough afterwards i had a big art block because i was just thinking, "you need to draw if you want to work on something as big as that! improve!!!!" which kind of held me back. but after all that, i decided to take a note out of ATSV (and comic books in general)'s book and start using halftones in my work. as well as that, i started focusing on lineart way more, and tried to play around with lineweight. which brings us to present day, where my latest art pieces look like this :

i still think that my artstyle needs a lot of work. even these pieces have issues when it comes to symmetry, values, and the like. but nowadays, though my art takes far longer now (as i've abandoned special pens and just do lineart with the hard dip pen in a kind of tedious way), i'm having more fun with it than i have in years. i think halftones fit my artstyle really well, and they're a unique way to "fill up" areas. now that i pay attention to lineart, i think it makes my art feel 'fuller', at least with more depth. did i mention my inspirations for this current 'phase' of my art? :0 i've been playing a lot of muse dash lately, and my pinterest boards are always full of stuff from TWEWY and megaman. there's far more than that, but in short, i want a sharp and striking style with bright colors. i know that you said a little bit of my progression and i basically dropped a whole essay 😭 ,,, but i really like talking about art in general even if i'm not very good at it. i hope this was interesting at the very least! here's the other post also:

[mappingthemoon]

Zines Read 2024

The Desert Sun #53 / Billy (Dec. 2023)

The Desert Sun #54 / Billy (Jan. 29, 2024)

Proof I Exist #45: A 2023 Reading Log / Billy McCall (Jan. 2024)

Proof I Exist #46: Looking Back at 2023 / Billy McCall & Ed Kemp (Jan. 2024)

Trent Reznor, the Girls Who Wanted to Fuck Him, and the Boys They Grew Up to Be / David Leo

Behind the Zines #17 / Billy McCall (ed.) (Mar. 2024)*

The Desert Sun #55 / Billy (Feb. 29, 2024)

Lifecycle of the Moon Jelly / Qufu-lee

Birds I’ve Seen Outside, v. 1 / Alyx White (2020)

Birds I’ve Seen Outside, v. 2 / Alyx White (2020)

Birds I’ve Seen Outside, v. 3 / Alyx White (2020)

KnowhutIzine: An Attempt to Document All Things Worrell / Dakota Floyd & Rick V. (June 2021)

Notes on Anarchism / Noam Chomsky (x)

The Desert Sun #56 / Billy (Mar. 2024)

[private]

[private]

Self-Harm: A Zine About NSSI / Sharaya O

Leave Me Alone, Mom! How Conservative Christianity Ruins Everything / Sharaya O

People Think I’m Weird / Billy McCall

What Is Home?

Local Honey / Madison Greer (ed.) (2020)*

A Zine for Pride: Archiving LGBTQ+ History at UGA! / Kathryn Manis (2024)

Lover’s Eye / Mandy Mastrovita (Jan. 2023)

I’m Blue / Mandy Mastrovita (Mar. 2024)

[private]

The Desert Sun #58 / Billy (May 29, 2024)

Love Letters to ATL / Haley Lazerface & Tazza Moon (eds.) (June 2024)

Voting Vs Direct Action / crimethInc (2004)

[You will see your own reflection…] / SAD (2024)

Grow Your Own (for, like, cheap): The Ultimate Space Bucket DIY Guide (x)

C.U.N.T.S. Magazine: The Women’s Issue (2024)

The Desert Sun #59 / Billy (June 30, 2024)

[Tax Forms Enclosed: 1040EZ, 1040A, 1040] / S. Brooks (1996) (x)

Super/Simple Majority / Tony White (dir.) (July 2024)*

Notes on Libraries, Lesbians, and Pulp / Aiden M. Bettine (2023)

IT? / Jamison Lung

ZiNetwork Invitation / Dr. Tambone

Leftist Leaflets in Little Libraries #1 / Peter Miles Bergman (Summer 2017; 5th ed., 2023)

The East Village Inky #66 / Ayun Halliday (June 2022)

Pirate Jenny (2nd ed.) / Ina Wudtke (2024)

Rut Zine #296 / Bianca Martin (x)

Rut Zine #343 / Bianca Martin (x)

Sappy Gazette #1: Transpiring Time & Space / Abbie (2024)

Culays [Heavy] / Mustafa Saeed (2024)

Offset Printed Artists' Books: A Chronology, 1960-2005 / Tony White (cur.) (Jan. 2018)

Robert Blackburn / [Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop]

The Desert Sun #60 / Billy (July 30, 2024)

Overdue Books; Returning Palestine’s “Abandoned Property” of 1948 / Hannah Mermelstein (2014)

The Desert Sun #61 / Billy (Aug. 24, 2024)

Lost Constellations of Athens: Five Legends / Lauren Fancher (2024) (x)

If These Walls Could Talk: A PhotoJournal Look Inside the Crumbling Campus of Central State Hospital, Milledgeville, Georgia / Janet Fugett (2015)

The Booty Keeps the Score: The Disorganized Attachment Dating Skillbuilder Workbook / tawnee smith (Spring 2021)

Cathode Ray Mission #3 / K Ratticus (ed.) (Fall 2024)*

The Desert Sun #62 / Billy (Sept. 29, 2024)

The Desert Sun #63 / Billy (Oct. 29, 2024)

The Desert Sun #63.5: Political Edition / Billy (mid-November 2024)

Behind the Zines #18 / Billy McCall (ed.) (Sept. 2024)

Tin Can Telephone #9: Test Cards & Radio Phonics / DJ Frederick Moe

where you from? #7: this is how I know I will be okay. / hope amico (Sept. 2024)

Straightaway Tangent #3: In Parallax / Sheila B. Ackerman & August Personage (Nov. 2024)

The Desert Sun #64 / Billy (Nov. 28, 2024)

The Desert Sun #65 / Billy (Dec. 24, 2024)

Zines read in 2024; asterisks * denote zines I’m in! When available, I have tried to provide links for: a digital version of the zine, a page from which to purchase the zine, the author’s website or social media, an alternate version of the text online, or further information about the author/title. I’m not cluttering the list up with individual links for all of Billy’s zines; his stuff can be found at Behind the Zines Distro.

[illustrationcoursework3]

Final idea

The final concept I came up with is an educational zine series focusing on teaching etymology, code deciphering and different unique histories around human communication.

For an actual outcome, I am planning on producing and designing 3 zines within this series, focusing on the subjects of the Nato Phonetic Alphabet, its history and purpose, emoticons and communication on the internet, origins and forms, and lastly untranslatable words and how they display the vastness of the human experience.

Research

Phonetic and spelling alphabets

How will this topic be portrayed:

Timelined history of the phonetic alphabet and what influenced the change, alongside character designs all representing the codewords, helping the audience learn the phonetic alphabet.

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/declassified_136216.htm

Significant info for topic

Reasons for development, that being to bridge the gap between communication issues within early telephone networks and later for two-way radio, utilised by militaries.

Began informally in the late 19th century, first recorded in 1898 within British Army signallers, only using acrophony on commonly misinterpreted letters, being A (Ack), B (Beer), M (Emma), P (Pip), S (Esses), T (Toc) and V (Vic). As time progressed to the world wars where distant communication was vital yet commonly interfered, these code systems would develop to be more consise and understandable.

How certain words are pronounced irregularly in order for clarity, such as uniform as 'oo-nee-form' and numbers such as three, four, five and nine pronounced as 'tree, fow-er, fife and nine-r' respectively.

The tests conducted to find the most suitable and memorable code words, finding confusing within 'five' confused with 'fire' and thus changed to 'fife'.

During the Nazi regime in 1936, Germany's previous military spelling alphabet was significantly altered, due to their spelling alphabet being composed of first names as code words, all names used with Jewish origins were replaced with alternate code words. As of 2022, the spelling alphabet has been completely altered as to have place names as code words instead of first names, with the previous code system restored to it's original state pre 1936 and retitled as an informal 'postal spelling alphabet'

Connections to Flaghoist communication and common use within number stations.

Emoticons and digital communication

How will this topic be portrayed:

A timelined history of the beginnings of typographical illustration and development of emoticons, kaomoji and emojis. Alongside this, it will cover the cultural significance of emoticons, their association to international communication and the phenomenon of Pareidolia.

Significant info for topic

In 1648, poet Robert Herrick wrote, "Tumble me down, and I will sit Upon my ruins, (smiling yet:).", considered to be the first documented use of ':)' representing a smile.

First use of a standard text-based emotion is often accredited to Scott Fahlman in 1982, where he proposed the use of ':-)' within bulletin boards in order to indicate humour, due to it being difficult to discern over online messaging.

After emoticons would spread to ARPANET and Usenet, developing further emoticons such as some which never caught on, example being '&' representing someone crouched convulsing with laughter.

Regional specific emojis (eg Kaomoji and umlaut based emoticons)

The development of the iOS emojis commonplace today

implementation of emoticons into Unicode, such as in wingding type

'tête à Toto', A children's drawing game/doodling style where one makes a face out of three 0's, two as the eyes one for the head, a + as a nose and an = for lips, drawn while singing an instructive song

Henohenomoheji, similar to the formerly mentioned, this is a Japanese children's drawing style involving kanji making up a face

Mondgesicht, another similar children's drawing game from Germany

Visual development of emojis and the design choices involved

The impact on modern online and general communication they've had

The Untranslatable

How will this topic be portrayed:

Through Two page spreads, with full page illustrations depicting the chosen untranslatable words accompanied by the joint page explaining the word, it's meaning and origins. The conclusion and introduction of the zine discuss the beauty of language and the unique perspectives throughout culture displayed through them, encouraging embracing of cultural identity and open mindedness to new languages and customs.

Significant info for topic

The story of The Tower of Babel as a contextual analysis of the concept of cultural divide and untranslatability

Bizarre puns, idioms and sayings and their contexts and cultural significances.

Uses of these singings within art and culture.

Words chosen so far to depict:

Ya'aburnee / يقبرني (Arabic; A wanting to die before someone else you love, because of how difficult it would be to live without them, literally 'You bury me'),

Cynefin (Welsh; a feeling had when finding a place where you truly belong, the environment hauntingly beautiful and perfect), Tenyérbemászó

(Hungarian; A face begging to be punched, literally 'Palm crawler'),

Mbuki-mvuki (Swahili; to remove clothing in order to dance more freely),

Hatsuyume (Japanese: The first dream had in the new year, believed to be an omen for coming year) or Wasuremono (Japanese: Items left behind or forgotten),

Qarrtsiluni (Inupiaq; Sitting together in the darkness, waiting for an idea to strike),

Akihi (Hawaiian; the instant forgetfulness after just being given directions)

Innerer Schweinehund (German; The voice in your head trying to make you lazy and procrastinate, literally translates to 'Inner pig-dog'

Qiang jingtou (Chinese; The fight and determination of a camera man to get the best shot)

[cryptokid3]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week. Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance. After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year. The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion. Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high. While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies.

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements. One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend.

Bitcoin Halving History It shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Reached $100,000 In 2024 The year’s second half has been full of surprises and growth for cryptocurrencies. After the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, Republican candidate Trump’s race and victory have made people expect favorable regulations around crypto investment. The political change has made BTC reach its expected heights and surge past $100,000 in 2024, with few days left before the year ends. Himanshu Maradiya, chairman and founder of CIFDAQ, said, “Bitcoin’s leap past the $100,000 mark isn’t just a financial milestone—it’s a historic moment that cements the growing clout of decentralized assets in the mainstream. For investors, the spotlight now shifts to long-term planning: keeping an eye on market cycles, diversifying portfolios, and staying updated on regulatory shifts. While this breakthrough fuels optimism, he signals caution. “Seasoned investors see this as a chance to reassess risk strategies, while newcomers are urged to prioritize learning the ropes before diving in. The road ahead will demand both patience and conviction,” said Maradiya.

Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025? According to Binance’s price prediction input for Bitcoin, the value of BTC may increase by +5% and reach 137,394.62 by 2030. The consensus rating indicates a bullish current sentiment. This indication is based on 3857 users’ crypto ratings for Bitcoin (BTC); 36.71% of users are bullish on BTC.Bitcoin enthusiasts often make overly optimistic and sometimes unrealistic predictions for their favorite cryptocurrency. After the surge, numerous discussions have occurred around Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital coin. Vikram Subburaj, chief executive officer of Giottus, said that speculation is rife about how high BTC can go, with many predicting $1,000,000. Gold has a market capitalization of $17 trillion, and BTC is highly unlikely to reach the $1 million mark in 2025. However, BTC hitting the $1 million mark in subsequent years cannot be ruled out.

Bottom Line Among the myriad predictions on Bitcoin, the bottom line remains that it has experienced several downfalls and has emerged stronger than before each time. Its resilient nature instills a belief in crypto enthusiasts who see value in investing in decentralized currencies. Only time can tell whether Bitcoin continues to rise or face downfall, and trading Bitcoin should be done with full awareness; your investment may yield a different return than the anticipated return.

www.cifdaq.com

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[cryptoenthu]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week.

Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. 

As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey

Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. 

Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance.

After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion.

Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high.

While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies. 

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements.

One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. 

Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend. 

The above table shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. 

Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Reached $100,000 In 2024

The year’s second half has been full of surprises and growth for cryptocurrencies. After the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, Republican candidate Trump’s race and victory have made people expect favorable regulations around crypto investment. The political change has made BTC reach its expected heights and surge past $100,000 in 2024, with few days left before the year ends. 

Himanshu Maradiya, chairman and founder of CIFDAQ, said, “Bitcoin’s leap past the $100,000 mark isn’t just a financial milestone—it’s a historic moment that cements the growing clout of decentralized assets in the mainstream. For investors, the spotlight now shifts to long-term planning: keeping an eye on market cycles, diversifying portfolios, and staying updated on regulatory shifts. 

While this breakthrough fuels optimism, he signals caution. “Seasoned investors see this as a chance to reassess risk strategies, while newcomers are urged to prioritize learning the ropes before diving in. The road ahead will demand both patience and conviction,” said Maradiya.

Note: The figures are sourced from CoinMarketCap.

Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

According to Binance’s price prediction input for Bitcoin, the value of BTC may increase by +5% and reach 137,394.62  by 2030. The consensus rating indicates a bullish current sentiment. This indication is based on 3857 users’ crypto ratings for Bitcoin (BTC); 36.71% of users are bullish on BTC.

Bitcoin enthusiasts often make overly optimistic and sometimes unrealistic predictions for their favorite cryptocurrency. After the surge, numerous discussions have occurred around Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital coin. 

Vikram Subburaj, chief executive officer of Giottus, said that speculation is rife about how high BTC can go, with many predicting $1,000,000. Gold has a market capitalization of $17 trillion, and BTC is highly unlikely to reach the $1 million mark in 2025. However, BTC hitting the $1 million mark in subsequent years cannot be ruled out.

Bottom Line  

Among the myriad predictions on Bitcoin, the bottom line remains that it has experienced several downfalls and has emerged stronger than before each time. Its resilient nature instills a belief in crypto enthusiasts who see value in investing in decentralized currencies. 

Only time can tell whether Bitcoin continues to rise or face downfall, and trading Bitcoin should be done with full awareness; your investment may yield a different return than the anticipated return.

www.cifdaq.com

[sahilcidfaq]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week.

Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. 

As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey

Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. 

Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance.

After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion.

Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high.

While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies. 

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements.

One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. 

Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend. 

The above table shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. 

Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

[kajaltrader]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week.

Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. 

As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey

Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. 

Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance.

After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion.

Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high.

While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies. 

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements.

One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. 

Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend. 

The above table shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. 

Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

Also Read: Why Is Bitcoin Rising?

Bitcoin Reached $100,000 In 2024

The year’s second half has been full of surprises and growth for cryptocurrencies. After the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, Republican candidate Trump’s race and victory have made people expect favorable regulations around crypto investment. The political change has made BTC reach its expected heights and surge past $100,000 in 2024, with few days left before the year ends. 

Himanshu Maradiya, chairman and founder of CIFDAQ, said, “Bitcoin’s leap past the $100,000 mark isn’t just a financial milestone—it’s a historic moment that cements the growing clout of decentralized assets in the mainstream. For investors, the spotlight now shifts to long-term planning: keeping an eye on market cycles, diversifying portfolios, and staying updated on regulatory shifts. 

While this breakthrough fuels optimism, he signals caution. “Seasoned investors see this as a chance to reassess risk strategies, while newcomers are urged to prioritize learning the ropes before diving in. The road ahead will demand both patience and conviction,” said Maradiya.

Note: The figures are sourced from CoinMarketCap.

Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

According to Binance’s price prediction input for Bitcoin, the value of BTC may increase by +5% and reach 137,394.62  by 2030. The consensus rating indicates a bullish current sentiment. This indication is based on 3857 users’ crypto ratings for Bitcoin (BTC); 36.71% of users are bullish on BTC.

Bitcoin enthusiasts often make overly optimistic and sometimes unrealistic predictions for their favorite cryptocurrency. After the surge, numerous discussions have occurred around Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital coin. 

Vikram Subburaj, chief executive officer of Giottus, said that speculation is rife about how high BTC can go, with many predicting $1,000,000. Gold has a market capitalization of $17 trillion, and BTC is highly unlikely to reach the $1 million mark in 2025. However, BTC hitting the $1 million mark in subsequent years cannot be ruled out.

Also Read: Bitcoin Price History 

Bottom Line  

Among the myriad predictions on Bitcoin, the bottom line remains that it has experienced several downfalls and has emerged stronger than before each time. Its resilient nature instills a belief in crypto enthusiasts who see value in investing in decentralized currencies. 

Only time can tell whether Bitcoin continues to rise or face downfall, and trading Bitcoin should be done with full awareness; your investment may yield a different return than the anticipated return.

[priyyyyyyaaasharma-21]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week.

Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. 

As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey

Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. 

Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance.

After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion.

Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high.

While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies. 

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements.

One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. 

Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend. 

Bitcoin Halving HistoryBitcoin Halving EventPrice on Halving DayPrice 150 days later2012$12.35$1272016$650.53$758.812020$8,821.42$10,9432024$62,205.94$60,308(Source: cointelegraph.com)

The above table shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. 

Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

[greensparty]

Remembering Steve Campbell 1951-2024

Here on this blog, I share my thoughts on pop culture and frequently I post my remembrance of celebrities and public figures who passed away. I rarely posted about people in my personal life who died, but today I thought I'd post a remembrance of someone who was the subject of a film I made and also someone who contributed to film.

me and Steve Campbell in 2019

On Dec. 24, 2024, Steve Campbell died at 73. He was the owner of the Video Visions store in Chatham, NY, which he opened in 1984. Sometime around 2017 or 2018, I had been hearing a lot about his store from friends in a few different circles. It was a still-standing video rental superstore in Upstate NY. I was fascinated with this store, not even as a filmmaker but just from a curiosity / human interest standpoint. There are still video rental stores throughout America, but this particular one seemed bigger than some store with a small DVD section and selling other retail as well. At around this same time, my friends Mark and Scott reached out to me about working on a film project. This was about seven months after the unexpected death of my dear friend and producing partner Matt, who had worked at Video Horizons with me, Mark and Scott in the 90s / 00s. The idea of making a documentary about Video Visions wasn't just going to be a passion project for all of us who used to work at a video store together, but also a way to honor our friend who was a part of that same store.

the Video Visions storefront

I reached out to Steve, introduced myself and pitched the project to him. He was fully on-board. We traveled to Chatham, NY from Boston in Spring 2018 to film his store and interview him, as well as my friend Josh Johnson, director of the VHS doc Rewind This!. The store was an old-school video store with over 25,000 titles (that's across various formats like VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and laser disc). He kept all of their films. Steve looked at the store almost like his retirement project at a certain point: he owned the building, he was the only employee, the overhead was low - but he enjoyed interacting with customers and he looked at it as "his contribution to film". Later in 2018, we returned to film some more at the store and Steve was always supportive and welcoming.

sign at the counter of Video Visions when our doc premiered

My short documentary Video Visions showed how this wasn't just a novelty of a still-standing video rental store in the digital age, but that it was a very special place in the community as well as a gateway to film history. There are thousands and thousands of movies not available on streaming that were released on physical media and Steve held on to his library all those years. In October 2019, my film had it's World Premiere at FilmColmbia film festival in Chatham, NY just a few blocks away from the store. The audience response was tremendous and Steve joined me for the Q&A afterwards. Steve was really proud of it and after the screening there was a little party for the film at his store. He even made our DVD available to rent at his store.

the DVD available to rent at Video Visions in 2021

I checked in with Steve every so often just to see how he and the store were doing. Sadly, due to health issues he closed the store around 2022. He didn't permanently close it, just didn't open for business. There was some brief talk on social media when some cinephiles walked by the store and gleamed at it from the outside wishing they could go in. Last time Steve and I emailed was last year when he seemed uncertain about the future of the store, but kept the option open to possibly re-open in some capacity.

one of several aisles at Video Visions

As a physical media enthusiast, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Steve keeping his store open for as long as he did. At a time when so many video stores were closing and so many retailers were no longer carrying physical media, here was someone who wanted his robust movie collection available to the public and truly enjoyed talking to his patrons. From the customers I talked to and attendees at the film festival, this store was truly a special place for the community. On a personal level, I appreciate that he trusted me to make a film about his store. He even told me that our documentary was one of the highlights in the store's 38 year history!

I send my best to Steve's family, friends and the Video Visions customers. I certainly hope the store and/or the collection can also live on in some way.

Here is the obit.

Here is my short documentary Video Visions:

[daviswuardn632]

Formative

Concept statement

The digital age has made reality something that can be manipulated with a few clicks on photoshop such that what is real and what is altered differ by a hairline. The manipulation of photos generates growing concern over ethics and honesty.  However, this transformation is not just a tool for misleading and deceiving audiences but also a powerful tool for exploring deep social and psychological issues.

I created an image that combines seven different photos to build a night scene on a dark road in the countryside, taking inspiration from Todd Hido’s photography, I aimed to trigger a sense of unfamiliarity and unease by editing ordinary objects like signages, a car, and a bus stop in a way that feels slightly off. Unlike Hido, however, I chose to include a human in the scene that stands at the center of the photo. The figure is illuminated by a weak light beam, with a black hole looming above. It represents loneliness related to one who could become swallowed up by it; thus, giving us the theme that underlies my photo.

The use of multiple red stop signs throughout the scene serves as a representation of the barriers people often set around their inner selves. The stop signs create a sense of hesitation and warning, making it difficult for an outsider to feel welcome. This reflects the difficulty of breaking into someone's heart.

One of the most eye-catching elements in the image is the black hole edited into the streetlight, a black hole surrounded by light that almost looks like a solar eclipse. This black hole symbolizes the absorption and suspension of light, and by extension, all happiness and joy received from the outer world. The light in the scene is only illuminating the ground beneath it, while everything else is consumed by darkness. This represents how loneliness can engulf a person, leaving them stranded hopelessly.

Through this project, I wanted to highlight how loneliness affects individuals and how it is often ignored or overlooked by society. The feeling of loneliness does not necessarily mean a person is isolated from others. According to CDC, “loneliness is the feeling of being alone, regardless of the amount of social contact”[1]. The car and bus stop edited in the photo show the person here still has some connections with society, yet still got stranded by the loneliness.

In conclusion, my project is a showcase on the power of image manipulation to bring up the often-overlooked issue of loneliness. Image manipulation is not just a tool for altering reality but a means of expressing complex emotions and ideas that can reflect social issues. For this project, the manipulated image serves as a visual representation for the internal struggles that many people face but rarely express. By blending realism with surrealism, this image allows audiences to explore the context in ways that traditional photography cannot offer.

[1] Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions. 8 Dec. 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html.

[notatkifranki]

Zoe Leonard

Zoe Leonard (1961, Liberty, NY) works with photography, sculpture, and site-specific installation, balancing a rigorous conceptualism with a distinctly personal vision. Leonard’s work encourages the viewer to reconsider the act of looking at itself as a complex, ongoing process. Using repetition, shifting perspectives, and a multitude of printing processes, Leonard’s practice probes the politics of representation and display and invites us to contemplate the role that the medium plays in constructing history.

Al río / To the River engages with photographic language from abstraction to documentary to digital surveillance imagery, and in so doing, considers various histories of representation that have shaped our perceptions of both border and river.

"autobiographical" work (...) ever-growing row, like a wayward minimalist floor sculpture, a Carl Andre of the thrift store, with one suitcase added in perpetuity for each year of the artist's life. (...) also evoked tourism and spatial displacment, an almost mythical drive toward homelessness and travel, perhaps even exile"_31 Lateness and Longing

"1990s (...) fences and barriers that call up regular and standardized grids are seen to be absorbed and exceeded by the irregular, almost formless, spreading bark of the urban trees planted nearby (Tree + Fence)_55 Lateness and Longing

Tree, 1997/2011 Tree, 1997/2011 was presented in the Museum Ludwig within the frameworks of the exhibition Before the Law. Post-War Sculptures and Spaces of Contemporary Art (17 Dec. 2011 – 22 April 2012). The exhibition posed the question of how the visual arts can broach the issue of violations of human dignity as a universal problem without becoming illustrative. Leonard’s nearly ten metre high installation comprised of wood and steel depicts a sawn oak tree that has been pieced together again with the help of metal screws and bolts. A steel construction attached to the wall holds the tree upright. As in her photographic series Tree + Fence from 1998, with Tree the artist addresses essential conditions and foundations of life, such as growth, transience, affliction, transformation and death. At the same time, she also makes reference to the complex interdependencies between nature and culture.

[molsons112000]

Remember, the US military is also the single largest provider of humanitarian aid in the world. They supply this to Natural disaster areas and all kinds of other issues like health crisis.....

People also ask

Is the US military the largest humanitarian organization?

The United States is the largest single provider of humanitarian assistance worldwide.

https://www.state.gov › policy-issues

PBS

https://www.pbs.org › humanrelief

USE OF THE MILITARY IN HUMANITARIAN RELIEF | ...

Initially, humanitarian assistance was simply logistical. Soldiers provided an interim administration to ensure that food and other vital

U.S. News & World Report

https://www.usnews.com › articles

Countries That Receive the Most Foreign Aid From the U.S.

Jan 18, 2024 — Top Countries Receiving Foreign Aid, 2022 ; 1 · Ukraine · $12,432,081,637 ; 2 · Israel · $3,308,801,618 ; 3 · Ethiopia · $2,190,256,514

Council on Foreign Relations

www.cfr.org

The State of U.S. Infrastructure

The $25 trillion U.S. economy relies on a vast network of infrastructure to keep it afloat. But the systems currently in place, including roads, railways,

The u s military helps countries all over the world with their infrastructure needs....

Homeland Security Digital Library

https://www.hsdl.org › viewPDF

THE ROLE OF THE ARMY IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ...

Dec 30, 2008 — Often the military provides security, humanitarian assistance, and infrastructure to other nations during times of

I put some images that I forgot to include in the last post.

Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance - State Department

[cryptokid3]

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025?

2024 began with significant momentum for cryptocurrencies, especially like Bitcoin and Ethereum, eliciting enthusiasm among crypto enthusiasts. As of Dec. 05, 2024, Bitcoin hyped to an exceptional all-time high at $103,900, with a market capitalization of $2.02 trillion, representing a 6.80% increase in the last week.Bitcoin has surged due to certainty fuelled by the U.S. presidential elections and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s victory. BTC traded around $95,000 in the last few days after nearly touching $100,000. As of today, Dec. 05, 2024, it surged to the extreme high of $103,900. The anticipation that Trump’s administration will usher in a friendly regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies has fueled the surge. As of Dec. 5, 2024, the world’s largest cryptocurrency is trading at $102,706. After Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, the price has surged around 45%, driven by a swathe of buying and pouring capital into U.S. bitcoin-backed exchange-traded funds.

Bitcoin’s Recovery Journey Bitcoin has endured a tumultuous period, shedding approximately 65% of its market value over the past year. Crypto enthusiasts were taken aback by unforeseen events such as the Terra Luna crash, FTX decline, macroeconomic factors, and Binance’s legal issues. Nonetheless, the crypto market exhibited a remarkable recovery toward the end of the year, with BTC showing promising growth. Bitcoin surged to impressive heights, surpassing its all-time highs multiple times following the U.S. presidential elections, reaching $103,900 as of Dec. 05, 2024. BTC ETF options on the Nasdaq may have also contributed to the surge. This surge propelled its market capitalization to $2.03 trillion, contributing to the overall crypto market capitalization of $3.69 trillion, reflecting exceptional performance.After surpassing the psychological threshold of the $31,000 mark, Bitcoin started exhibiting a bearish trend and traded below $30K levels for most of the last year. However, it has shown remarkable recovery in the latter months of the year.The world’s largest cryptocurrency, BTC, which was on a recovery path, has increased around 147.39% in one year. As of Dec. 05, 2024, it is currently trading at $102,658, with a market capitalization of $2.03 trillion and a global cryptocurrency market capitalization of $3.69 trillion.Cryptocurrency experts believed that if BTC maintained its level of $30,000, it could likely bounce back from there. Looking at the current scenario, Bitcoin surpassed its all-time high in March but witnessed a downtrend later.

In April 2023, the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin, touched the critical resistance of the $30,000 level for the first time since June 10, 2022, and then started dipping below $26,000. It significantly rose to $45,203 after May 2022. Crypto experts believe that if Bitcoin maintains the $45,000 level and beyond, it could reach $60,000 by the end of 2024. In the first three months of the year, BTC has already touched the level of $73,750 and set a new record for an all-time high.While the future of Bitcoin is unknown, retail investors must be very cautious about every move of Bitcoin, as it has witnessed tumultuous before. Moreover, India’s stance on cryptocurrencies continues to be firm, with the government bringing all crypto-related transactions under the ambit of the Money Laundering Act. In a specific gazette notification, the Union Finance Ministry of India stated that all the transactions related to digital assets or virtual currency would fall under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The new development may appear damaging to the cryptocurrency community in India. However, the industry has praised the move as a step towards regulating this space. Without regulators, the enforcement agencies will immediately take recourse to any discrepancies.

The Spot Bitcoin ETFs have been a tremendous factor in Bitcoin’s growth. After the SEC approved the ETFs in the U.S., retail investors showed great interest, leading to Bitcoin surpassing its all-time high. By the end of September, after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate cut, BTC is, as of Oct. 16, 2024, trading at $67,000. The U.S. Fed cut rates by 50 basis points, and the Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady. BTC rose around 3% a day after both central banks’ announcements.One of the other reasons crypto experts were hopeful about Bitcoin is that this year, 2024, was a year for Bitcoin’s halving event. The Bitcoin halving event happens every four years, during which BTC rewards to its miners are cut by 50% (the miner’s payout will be reduced to 3.125 BTC). This event is usually positive for Bitcoin’s price, as it helps contract supply. Historically, halving has been seen as an excellent sign for bringing momentum to Bitcoin’s price. So far, this year’s halving that took place on April 20, 2024, has not caused the surge to the BTC, as experts anticipated. The current state of Bitcoin reflects a significant downtrend.

Bitcoin Halving History 2012 $12.35 $127 2016 $650.53 $758.81 2020 $8,821.42 $10,943 2024 $62,205.94 $60,308

The above table shows that past halving events have established long-term bullish drivers for Bitcoin’s price. The Bitcoin halving event relates to its deflationary tendency and crushing its supply, which helps the Bitcoin price to rise further. As BTC is a decentralized cryptocurrency, any central banks or governments can’t print it, and thus, Bitcoin’s total supply is limited. Moreover, “Bitcoin Whales,” referring to large investors, have started accumulating Bitcoin again. According to data from CoinMarketCap, these large Bitcoin whales, holding as of Dec. 3, 2024, have 248.60K BTC in their wallets, indicating that investors have been filling their wallets with a substantial amount of Bitcoins. This accumulation may contribute to boosting the price of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Reached $100,000 In 2024 The year’s second half has been full of surprises and growth for cryptocurrencies. After the 2024 U.S. presidential elections, Republican candidate Trump’s race and victory have made people expect favorable regulations around crypto investment. The political change has made BTC reach its expected heights and surge past $100,000 in 2024, with few days left before the year ends.

Himanshu Maradiya, chairman and founder of CIFDAQ, said, “Bitcoin’s leap past the $100,000 mark isn’t just a financial milestone—it’s a historic moment that cements the growing clout of decentralized assets in the mainstream. For investors, the spotlight now shifts to long-term planning: keeping an eye on market cycles, diversifying portfolios, and staying updated on regulatory shifts. While this breakthrough fuels optimism, he signals caution. “Seasoned investors see this as a chance to reassess risk strategies, while newcomers are urged to prioritize learning the ropes before diving in. The road ahead will demand both patience and conviction,” said Maradiya.

Can Bitcoin Reach $1,000,000 by 2025? According to Binance’s price prediction input for Bitcoin, the value of BTC may increase by +5% and reach 137,394.62 by 2030. The consensus rating indicates a bullish current sentiment. This indication is based on 3857 users’ crypto ratings for Bitcoin (BTC); 36.71% of users are bullish on BTC.Bitcoin enthusiasts often make overly optimistic and sometimes unrealistic predictions for their favorite cryptocurrency. After the surge, numerous discussions have occurred around Bitcoin, the world’s largest digital coin. Vikram Subburaj, chief executive officer of Giottus, said that speculation is rife about how high BTC can go, with many predicting $1,000,000. Gold has a market capitalization of $17 trillion, and BTC is highly unlikely to reach the $1 million mark in 2025. However, BTC hitting the $1 million mark in subsequent years cannot be ruled out.

Bottom Line Among the myriad predictions on Bitcoin, the bottom line remains that it has experienced several downfalls and has emerged stronger than before each time. Its resilient nature instills a belief in crypto enthusiasts who see value in investing in decentralized currencies. Only time can tell whether Bitcoin continues to rise or face downfall, and trading Bitcoin should be done with full awareness; your investment may yield a different return than the anticipated return.

www.cifdaq.com

[landscapedesignfirm]

Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review

As homeowners, we know that you are invested in your landscape, both financially and emotionally. Motivation for this investment may be strictly practical (contribution to property value), aesthetic (appreciation of the beauty of plants), ecological (contribution to the biome), or competitive (well, neighbors). Motivation to enhance and care for landscapes is more likely from combining these factors and many others. Without regard to underlying motivation, the fact is that an established and cared-for landscape returns on the investment.

The most advanced, durable, and overlooked component of landscape plant maintenance is biological care, which involves the following:

Maintaining soil nutrition

Controlling insect and disease pests

Managing plant structure and physiology

In today’s environment, biological care is critical in preserving longevity, vigor, and beauty in landscape plants, combatting invasive and explosive pests, compensating for the depletion of soil nutrients, and correcting losses in plant resiliency.

Why Burkholder Plant Health Care?

At Burkholder Plant Health Care, we aim to provide the highest biological and structural care level for homeowners in our region. We are staffed with experienced, certified professional technical specialists and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, management strategies, and treatment materials to achieve this. In our program, a critical element of the effective protection of landscape plants is keeping abreast of dynamic growing conditions in terms of seasonal weather patterns that contribute to plant stress and a constantly changing complex of insect and disease pests.

Below is the Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review, where you can learn about the top issues we saw and treated for this year in Main Line landscapes. 

Climatic Conditions

This season, three climatic events had a significant impact on landscape plant health:

Dec 22-Dec 24, 2022

Conditions: Three days of high winds and plummeting temperature, with winds sustained at 30 mph and daily low temperatures into single digits.

Effects: Severe winter burn (desiccation) on evergreen, deciduous plants, especially laurel, holly, and boxwood.

May 2-June 12, 2023

Conditions: Prolonged lack of rainfall during a critical growing period, with less than ¼” of rainfall recorded in 6 weeks.

Effects: Widespread planting/transplant failures in non-irrigated landscapes. Stunted growth/reduced flowering in many established landscape plants.

Sept 9-Sept 29, 2023

Conditions: Twelve days with recorded rainfall in a 3-week span, totaling 6″ of rainfall.

Effects: Late-season onset of root diseases, particularly phytophthora root rot in boxwood, laurel, and rhododendron.

White Prunicola Scale

This pest can cause severe damage to cherry laurel, skip laurel, and flowering cherry/plum. White prunicola scale also infests privet, lilac, boxwood, and holly. This area has three generations of this pest per year, with the third being particularly explosive in September. The insect creates a white, fuzzy coating on plant stems and can cause significant yellowing and branch death when populations are high.

Boxwood Complex: Leafminer, Psyllid, Spider Mite,  Volutella Blight

Boxwood leafminer, a type of fly larva, has become the most common destructive pest for boxwoods. These larvae feed on the leaves, causing them to brown and eventually fall off. This year, psyllids and spider mites were also active, leading to a decline in the quality and appearance of boxwoods across the region.

Additionally, boxwoods are susceptible to several diseases, with volutella blight being the most common. This disease is particularly harmful to plants weakened due to pests or environmental factors.

Phytophthora Root Rot/Root Diseases

Soil diseases, especially phytophthora, can remain inactive for many years but cause significant damage when soil moisture is high. These diseases have many hosts, affecting plants like the following:

Boxwood

Laurel

Azalea

Rhododendron (seen in image above)

Pieris

Holly

Dogwood

The infection destroys fine roots and progresses through the underground water transport system, causing above-ground symptoms that resemble drought stress. A second soil/root disease has emerged in the last few years, with particularly severe damage in holly, especially Japanese holly. Although symptoms of these two diseases are similar and the diseases thrive in similar conditions, management recommendations are completely different, so thorough identification is required for effective management.

Rust Mite/Eriophyid Mite

Eriophyid/rust mites are causing significant damage to plants such as privet, cypress, hemlock, and spruce. These tiny mites make detection difficult, leading to damage before homeowners notice their presence. Another species of eriophyid mite is responsible for spreading the rose rosette virus, which causes extensive damage to roses.

Due to the challenge in detecting these pests, eriophyid rust mites have caused damage to plants for many years. However, effective tools are now available to control these mites on privet and conifers. As a result, we have observed a remarkable recovery of previously mite-damaged plants.

Invasive Weeds

The following species of weeds are invasive to Pennsylvania and can harm homeowner’s landscapes.

Canada Thistle (shown above)

Bindweed

False Buttercup/Celandine

Yellow Nutsedge

Deer  Browse and Antler Rubbing

In this area, deer are likely the greatest hurdle to establishing new landscape plants, maintaining attractive architecture on mature plants, and ensuring full flowering in ornamental plants that are also feeding targets for deer.

Many landscape plant species are attacked by deer, but the worst are:

Hosta

Evergreen Azalea

Rhododendron (especially PJM)

Wintercreeper

Rose

Hydrangea

Flowering Cherry/Plum/Apple

Tulip

Even with clear preferences for some plants, feeding damage from deer extends deep into the list of local landscape plant species. To combat this problem, we have developed our deer repellent blend, combining effects of feeding repellents, predator signals, and behavioral deterrents. We began using this repellent in 2022, which has proven effective, with good to excellent results throughout the spring/summer and fall/winter seasons. We strictly adhere to a re-treatment interval of 60 days or less.

Soil Conditions/Soil Nutrition

Two critical factors for healthy landscape plants are soil moisture and nutrition. Optimal soil moisture and nutrient levels ensure healthy, resilient plants. Burkholder Plant Health Care samples soil on participating properties and applies prescription soil amendments each season for healthy plant growth.

Soil Moisture

Maintaining ideal soil moisture levels to ensure your landscape plants thrive is vital. Generally, ideal soil moisture levels range between 20% and 60% but vary depending on the soil type and the specific plant species. The middle ground of 40% is a good target to aim for.

Soil moisture levels that are consistently lower than 20% or greater than 60% can be equally damaging to root systems, so it’s essential to calibrate your landscape watering routine accordingly. We will begin monitoring soil moisture levels during each field visit to client properties to simplify watering recommendations.

Soil Nutrition

Soil nutrition is a crucial consideration for the health of the plants in your landscape. With sufficient nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients, as well as a solid foundation of proper pH levels and soil structure, your plants can reach their full potential regarding maturity, health, and strength. Poor soil conditions can also make your plants more vulnerable to pest problems and damage from environmental stress.

All properties should have soil analyzed, and many will need to focus on managing and correcting soil nutrient levels. This can make the difference between having healthy plants that require little maintenance and constantly dealing with plant health issues. At Burkholder Plant Health Care, we take soil chemistry seriously. We sample the soil on participating properties every three years and apply prescription soil amendments in each growing season’s spring (March) and fall (October).

Burkholder PHC Accomplishments in 2023

Our Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review would be incomplete without mentioning a few achievements of our team.  These include:

Formal identification (with Penn State Insect Identification Lab) of Philoeosinus canadensis

Full-season management plan for roses

Rescue treatment for eriophyid mite damage

Formal identification (with Penn State Insect Identification Lab) of Zeuzera pyrina

Learn more about these accomplishments in our new article.

Contact Burkholder PHC for Exceptional Treatment of Plant Care Issues

If you are a current or past client of Burkholder Plant Health Care, thank you for trusting us with the care of the structure and biology of your landscape plants. If you have not brought our services onto your property and are interested in an assessment of the condition of your landscape plants, just let me know (starker@burkholderphc.com). All of our initial evaluations, sampling, and diagnostics are free for current or past clients of Burkholder Brothers. For more information about the Burkholder Plant Health Care Year in Review, give us a call.

Blog is originally published at: https://www.burkholderphc.com/burkholder-plant-health-care-year-in-review/

It is republished with the permission from the author.