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Almost 90% Of All Potentially Available Bitcoins Are in Circulation – What Does This Mean for The Crypto Market?

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As of right now, over 17 million Bitcoins have been mined and are either being actively traded or held in wallets. You may think that is a huge number, but it’s not with the maximum cap of Bitcoins being 21million. That puts the total number of already mined Bitcoins to around 90%. This leaves us with only about 3 million Bitcoins to be mined. If you are a Bitcoin investor or miner, that leaves you wondering what exactly will happen to the crypto market once the last Bitcoin is mined and in circulation?

There is no need to panic, though, as Bitcoin’s limited supply gives it anti-inflationary properties. Bitcoin’s finite supply ensures its scarcity and value. As such, it cannot be devalued by limitless supply. Imagine if the world had a limitless supply of gold; it wouldn’t be as much of a priceless metal then.

Bitcoin Halving and The Crypto Market

Bitcoin halving is the process by which the miner’s compensation hold declines by 50% every four years. This idea was meant to build a method that would self-sustain itself, like gold mining. Thus, the idea of Bitcoin halving came to life as a way of managing stock.
After the first Bitcoin halving on November 28th, 2012, mining awards dropped from its initial 50 BTC to 25 BTC.

The following year, Bitcoin’s market price crashed to 1,000 USD.
On July 9th, 2016, another Bitcoin halving occurred and had an all-time wave of around 19,000 USD, which jumped to 20,000 USD by December 2017. Similarly, BTC mining compensation dropped to 12.5 BTC. It was after the Bitcoin halving that its price started climbing exponentially.

The next halving is expected in May 2020, with the market, miners, and investors in Bitcoin wondering what will unfold. We are months away from the next halving function. It is, however, key to note that the 2020 Bitcoin halving will probably produce a comparable development to its predecessors. For one, we are sure that the Bitcoin miner’s compensation will be halved from 12.5 BTC to 6.25 BTC. Many crypto supporters and marketers expect the Bitcoin price to skyrocket during the BTC halving stage.

Should this trend continue, then we should expect a total of 64 halvings before the total cap of Bitcoins is tapped out. That will be sometime in 2140. So, there is still plenty of time to prepare for and keep the crypto market afloat and profitable. If anything, it is really a problem for the incoming generation to deal with.

How the Crypto Market Will Survive

There are three vital pillars that the crypto market can implement to keep the Bitcoin ecosystem functioning. Here are the pillars that the crypto market can implement:

1. Transaction Fees

Miners in the Bitcoin network both for mining new Bitcoin blocks and confirming transactions. Therefore, anyone who wants to make Bitcoin transactions have to pay a transaction fee. And with the Bitcoin network growing popular by the day, these fees also keep rising. The crypto market benefits from this by ensuring providing miners with the incentive to get more blocks for trading. You can, therefore, expect transaction fees of Bitcoins to keep growing in the future to ensure that miners don’t leave the Bitcoin network. Take the use of Bitcoin CFD, for example. Bitcoin traders will still be able to capitalize on the coin’s price movement without necessarily having to purchase it. Then make a buy or sell decision later when they believe that the market is ripe for it. Thus, keeping the crypto market running. Read these Bitcoin trader reviews for more guidance about who you should be trusting with your investment.

2. The Value of Bitcoin

In an ideal scenario, you can expect a significant increase in the value of Bitcoins. That will probably be the only option for transaction fees and other factors to remain enough incentives for miners and keep the crypto market afloat. Interestingly, the structure of Bitcoin is built in a way that its value keeps rising no matter the number of Bitcoins already mined and the number still left behind.
The finite supply of the cryptocurrency also ensures that its demand keeps rising, benefiting the crypto market, for now. An increase in demand automatically increases Bitcoin’s value and as such, also increases the fees that miners receive for every Bitcoin mined.

3. Mining Costs

With technological advancements, we should also expect the cryptocurrency mining costs to go down significantly. When this happens, it can significantly reduce the number of investments that miners make for trading. This can work in favour of the cryptocurrency as both miners and investors in the cryptocurrency industry will be more open to their higher ROI. As such, even if miners receive lower rewards than they initially received, both parties will still profit from Bitcoin investment.

Bottom Line

From the above content, it is a possibility that Bitcoin mining might remain profitable even after all the 21 million coins have been mined. The crypto market still has enough time to adapt to the inevitable Bitcoin future. As such, you can expect to see the crypto market generate even more revenue from the world’s leading coin.

Q&A with Danny Haber of oWOW

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Danny Haber of oWOW is a real estate developer. oWOW has an impressive portfolio of investments around the world. His companies use innovative technologies and vertically-integrated solutions.

Danny Haber is the CEO and co-founder of oWOW, a real estate development company. The objectives of oWOW are clear: solve the housing crisis in the greater Bay Area, and build affordable housing for any income. We sat down with Danny for a full interview regarding the housing market, innovations, and trends heading into 2020.

Question: What do you foresee as the biggest challenges for the housing market in 2020?

Answer: ‘Over the years, I have learned a great deal about how the housing market works. On a basic level, demand/supply considerations are largely responsible for housing prices. There are demand-side factors and supply-side factors to consider. In the US, the Federal Funds Rate plays a critical role in the process. Currently, we are looking at a rate of 1.75%, and while the correlation between the FFR and bank lending rates is non-linear, there are certain correlations. For example, increases in the Federal Funds Rate invariably make the cost of short-term borrowing more expensive. This impacts discretionary spending (personal disposable income) by way of increased payments on credit cards, short-term loans, et cetera. The impact on long-term loans such as mortgages is real too. The lower the bank lending rate, the better it is for potential homeowners. In 2020, we are going to see an increase in the demand for affordable housing, particularly in San Francisco and surrounds. I think that the pledges from Facebook, Google, Apple and other big tech companies will help to accelerate the growth of new housing units, but it’s not sufficient to meet demand. The economy is booming – that means that there is low unemployment, steadily rising wages, and increased demand for housing. Consider that in 2018, US homeownership rose to 64.8% – the highest in many years. These trends are going to continue, and we need to curtail runaway property price growth so that younger generations like the millennials will be able to afford their own homes.’

Question: Why does San Francisco always get a bad rap when it comes to housing?

Answer: ‘San Francisco and the Bay Area are unique. This particular housing market is characterized by extremely high demand, by dint of the fact that the cultural, art, and technology scene leads the world. It is a cosmopolitan metropolis and arguably the biggest liberal enclave in all of the country. It attracts tourists from far and wide, boasts an eclectic mix of populations, and is highly desirable to many people. That being said, housing demand outstrips supply by a long margin. Many years ago, Proposition 13 passed, and while it was designed to protect existing homeowners from outrageous increases in real estate taxes, it had an unintended effect on new housing developments in and around the city. Property prices that were purchased for $100,000, 30 or 40 years ago may be selling for 10 times that amount at least. If you consider that the median house price in San Francisco and surrounds is $1.3 million – $1.5 million (depending on where you look), and the average rental price ranges between $3500 – $4500 (depending on where you look), it’s clear that there is something unique going on in this city. Proposition 13 limits property tax increases, meaning that city and town councils have to find alternative ways of generating revenue on new developments that are built. This often means that expensive licensing and development fees come into the picture. Unfortunately, these costs are passed on to tenants and homeowners in the form of higher prices. When you add excessive demand into the mix, it’s a recipe for disaster. The current building rate cannot keep pace with the existing demand. If 10 homes are required every year and only 2 homes are being built, you can understand why there is such a dilemma. And why do we have such incredible demand? Silicon Valley companies! The robust growth of major tech companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and dozens of others means that more people are working in the city, and they need somewhere to live. Since 2008/2009, we have seen hundreds of thousands of new hires, yet new housing developments are sorely lacking. These are some of the issues that we are dealing with.

Question: What types of solutions do you foresee?

Answer: ‘We need to stabilize prices for one thing. As a property developer myself, I also understand that if prices keep rising unchecked, this is going to have an adverse effect on the success of the metropolis. Think of it this way: if low-wage workers such as wait staff at restaurants, hotel workers, teachers (yes, I know it’s a shame), municipal workers, childminders, dog walkers, policemen, firemen, emergency workers, and others cannot afford to live in a city, that city will start to fall apart. We already have the worst homeless problem in the country, with thousands of people living on the streets, in their cars, in tents, or in shelters. These are issues that we need to address quickly. From my perspective, it’s important to cater to low-to-middle-income earners just as much as it is to provide high-end units for the well-heeled. That’s why my company – oWoW- is invested in providing luxury-style living 50% cheaper than the going rate. Our model works because we are a small, integrated company with a hands-on approach to everything that we do. We focus on paring the right people together in apartments, and managing existing square footage as effectively as possible so that everybody can live comfortably in their own space. We do this by way of MacroUnits and a flexible wall system known as Magic Walls. These pre-fabricated designs are built offsite, allowing us to rapidly deploy them and rent out the apartments that we have renovated. Granted, this is a drop in the bucket for a much bigger problem that San Francisco and the Bay Area currently faces. We are doing our part, and we are seeing results.

Question: When do you think things will turn around in San Francisco and the Bay Area?

Answer: ‘Things are already turning around. It’s hard to see the big picture when there is so much negative press making the rounds. However, we already see results in Oakland California, where we are operational. For example, our developments in 1919 Market Street, 674 23rd Street, and 316 12 Street are success stories. We can proudly say that we accommodate people across the spectrum. Our buildings house educators, tech workers, artists, entrepreneurs, pretty much every other possible vocation you can think of. It’s an eclectic mix of people to say the least. This gives us hope that it is possible to build communities in forgotten places. We take abandoned or condemned buildings, and bring them up to code so that they are places where people really want to live. More importantly, it’s the type of quality you seek at prices you can afford. Now if we can propagate this same thinking in other enclaves, it will be terrific. There are nine counties in the Bay Area, there are lots of jobs available, and it’s a competitive market for sure. There has been a notable cooling heading into Q4 2019, and counties like Alameda are attracting people that have lost confidence in property prices in San Francisco. Watch this space – its unfolding right before our eyes!

You can connect with Danny through LinkedIn, and Twitter.

How to Take Care of Your Classic Car

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Owning a classic car means that you are faced with a very special set of responsibilities that someone with a newer model may not be privy to. Since the age and overall condition of an older car means that it may need a little bit of extra love and care, you will definitely find yourself having to look after it more than your other cars. However, as every classic car owner like yourself knows, part of the joy of owning this special type of car is the act of taking care of it.

If you are someone who is new to the whole classic car scene, then take a deep breath. We know it can get overwhelming reading through all the things you have to do. All of the upkeep and maintenance that your car requires may be one of the biggest challenges you will face, but trust us: it is exactly the reason why so many people fall in love with owning a classic car.

Here are the following tips we have as to how you can safely use your classic car on the road:

 

  • Don’t forget to wax it. Before you get the engine running, make sure that your car is cleaned, polished, and waxed. We put emphasis on the fact that you should get it waxed because your car’s paint work is something you should pay special attention to. For classic cars like the one you own, our expert tip is for you to reapply wax every 2 months, or more frequently if it’s the car you use on a day-to-day basis. Applying wax will ensure that your car’s paint stays pristine and safe from nasty weather, grime, dirt, or whatever else the road will throw at it.
  • Have it fully checked by an auto repair shop. Before you take your classic car beyond short drives, make sure that you’ve dropped by an auto shop that specialises in classic car repair services in Sussex. This is one of the most important things you should remember because this is how you can have a good time, knowing that you are less likely to encounter any hiccups with your car. All you have to focus on at this point is being one with the road as you drive your classic car!

Consistent cleaning is key. The rule of thumb here is that, apart from the bimonthly cleaning your car receives, you should also look after it before and after every trip. This means that before you take it out for a spin, you give it a thorough clean up and check up. On top of that, you should also make sure that you have hosed down the undercarriage of the car before you keep it in the garage. You do not know when you will take it out again and in that period of waiting, salt and road dirt can cause corrosion on the unkempt metal surfaces of your car.

  • Do not forget the battery! Now that you have looked after the exterior of your car, it is also a matter of importance that you pop the hood open and check on the machinations. This is because old car batteries, such as those found in classic models, are prone to losing power. This is particularly true during colder weather, or when they’ve just been lying dormant and unused for a long time. You should charge the battery manually using a 12V battery charger every now and then so that you won’t avoid any delays to your trip all because your car wouldn’t start!

Buying A New House? Should You Rent Out Your Old Home?

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With the uncertainty surrounding Brexit looking over the property market, many people are wondering if they should sell, buy or wait.

There is a middle option that should also be considered. You should also be thinking about all three.

What that means is, instead of selling your old house when you are ready to buy a new one, you should rent it out. It’s a lot less complicated than it sounds and there are some good reasons to do it this way.

In this article, I will go over some of those reasons to give you some food for thought when you are in the market for a new home. 

Can you afford it?

Before you decide whether you should rent out your old house rather than sell, you have to calculate what your expenses are going to be.

Your biggest expense is going to be your mortgages. Use an online mortgage calculator to figure out what your new mortgage will be. Remember that you will be dealing with two mortgages if you still owe on your old home.

Your rent should cover your old home’s mortgage so you aren’t paying into two different ones. You should also have an inspection done on your old home to find any maintenance issues that will crop up. You’ll have to account for those and budget accordingly.

Weather a downturn in property prices

Property prices being low in your area is a boon for you when buying, but you also will get less for your house that you plan to sell.

If you rent instead, you can wait for prices to bounce back. You may plan to sell eventually, but this gives you a time buffer while you get the house ready. 

One issue is that you will want to sell your house quickly once you decide to put it on the market so you aren’t saddled with two mortgages.

Increase demand for rentals

There are some new laws for landlords which do make things a bit sticky. Yet, it is a great time to rent out your home. 

A recent increase in demand for rentals plus higher rents will practically guarantee that you have a steady cash flow from your old home. You may even cover your expenses beyond just the mortgage. 

Having a steady income from a rental may have you thinking about expanding and buying other properties just to rent once you have the hang of being a landlord.

Negatives about renting

Having your old house as an investment property doesn’t come without any disadvantages.

I mentioned how there are more regulations on landlords meaning it is more complicated than it used to be.

Another downside is that you may find the expenses are higher with tenant than if you lived there yourself. Some tenants treat the property poorly meaning higher maintenance costs.

Finding the right tenant may see you with an empty property while you wait. 

What’s Your 2020 Strategy for Saving Money?

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It takes conscious effort to save money. Whether you are looking to get out of debt or add more to your emergency fund, there are many obstacles one must overcome to save money successfully. 

Fortunately, there are many techniques, rules of thumb, and strategies that can help you spend less and save more. If you are unsure of where to start, try one of the following strategies to see how well each technique works for you. 

Track Your Spending

The most crucial step to take when saving money is first to understand where your money is being spent. It is easier than ever before to track your spending thanks to downloadable apps and programs. These tools allow you to see all your purchases in the same place and make a note of precisely what you are spending money on. 

Many money-tracking apps also allow you to organize your spending into categories like restaurants, bills, or online shopping. Once you have a better idea of how much money you are spending and what you are spending it on, you can decide what things to cut back on. 

Cut Back on Spending

When you take a closer look at your spending, you may find several trivial things that you can spend less money on. The critical thing to remember is that you don’t necessarily have to give things up entirely, especially if they bring you joy. Instead, determine ways to spend less. There are several techniques you can utilize to cut back on the amount of money you spend.

Distinguish “Needs” from “Wants”

Before you place your next online shopping order, take a minute to determine if you actually need what you are about to buy, or if you only want it. The next time you consider making a stop for a specialty cup of coffee, make your own at home instead. 

There are many expenses that can be erased entirely if you focus more on your needs, rather than indulging in your wants. 

Reconsider Your Subscriptions

Do you pay for a subscription to a magazine you hardly read? Cancel it. Are you subscribed to multiple streaming services? Stick to one or two of your most utilized streaming services and unsubscribe from the rest. If you find yourself spending a lot of money gaming online, try playing on websites where you can instead play without making a deposit

Buy Generic

When it comes to just about every available product in the supermarket, generic brands are just as good as the name-brand ones. If you have been spending more money on name paper products, staple food items, cleaning supplies, and more, opt for generic brands instead. You will save a surprising amount of money without sacrificing quality. 

Try to keep in mind that every decision you make has an impact, whether big or small, on the total amount of money you spend. 

Establish Goals for Savings

Once you get an idea of things you can cut back on to save money, you should establish savings goals. Determine precisely how much money you want to save and how long you think it should take. The more you need to save and the less time you have to do it will determine just how many cutbacks you need to make. 

Give Up Spending for A Day, A Week, Or A Month

This may sound impossible, but even the biggest spenders can benefit from a spending freeze. For a set amount of time, whether it’s a day, a week, or a month, avoid buying any nonessential items. Of course, there are certain expenditures that are unavoidable. But by giving up extra spending for even a short period, you can save a significant amount of money. You can also set aside the money you would have spent or put it directly into savings so you can see exactly how much money you saved during your spending freeze. 

Sell Everything You Can

To set yourself up for success and get a head start on saving money, consider selling anything and everything you can. Anything that you no longer use or rarely use, as well as anything that doesn’t “bring you joy” as per Marie Kondo, can be put up for sale. 

There are endless ways to sell various items you no longer want or need. Larger or more expensive items can be sold online. Whether you place them for sale on eBay or list them on Facebook Marketplace, there is a good chance someone else will want your item badly enough to pay for it. Any clothes that no longer fit or that you don’t wear can be put up for sale on Poshmark. Local jewelers may be interested in some of the jewelry you have laying around. 

Look around your home to see what items you can sell, and consider how much you could potentially make from them. The money received from selling your items can make a big difference in the amount of money in your savings. 

What should British Muslims Expect When Travelling to America: Rights to Know About

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One of the most eyebrow-raising promises put forward by Donald Trump during his run for the presidency was a commitment to keeping Muslims out of the country. In response to several high-profile attacks by jihadists, Trump took to a stage in South Carolina and called for a ‘total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.’

After securing a surprising victory, the president swiftly set about coming good on his pledge, which now takes the form of Executive Order 13769.

What’s the US Travel Ban?

The first version of the travel ban itself came into force in the same month Trump took office, in January 2017. It targeted not Muslims as a whole, but seven Muslim-majority countries in particular: specifically:

  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Syria
  • Yemen
  • Somalia
  • Sudan
  • Libya

Defenders of the ban were quick to point out that this does not constitute a blanket prohibition on Muslims entering the united states. Moreover, many of the most populous Muslim-majority countries, like Indonesia and Pakistan, do not even feature on the list.

The ban was appealed, and struck down by the federal courts. It was revised to exclude Iraq from the list, and get rid of an attached ban on Syrian refugees. Both of these appeals were grounded in the idea that the ban was unconstitutional: it was designed explicitly to interfere with a person’s freedom of religion.

Then, the ban was altered for a third time, to include government officials from Venezuela, as well as citizens of Chad and North Korea. Subsequent data has revealed that the ban has resulted in drops in immigration from Muslim-majority countries – even those not covered by the travel ban. This points to a widespread (and understandable) reluctance on the part of the world’s Muslims to visit and stay in a country whose president believes them to be second-class citizens.

Will British Muslims have a problem?

You might assume that, since British Muslims don’t come from any of the countries listed, their rights will be respected. But this isn’t always the case. In February 2017, a welsh schoolteacher named Juhel Miah was forcibly ejected from a plane in Reykjavik, this despite the ban having been suspended the previous month. He was travelling with a party from Llangatwg comprehensive from Iceland to New York, but a ‘random security check’ saw him forced to stay overnight in Iceland and return home prematurely.

How can UK travellers protect their rights?

However carefully defined the law might be, the reality is that its purpose is inherently discriminatory. If you’re a Muslim travelling frequently between the UK and the US, or you’re intending to settle in the country, you’ll need expert legal representation to fight your battles. Specialised and experience immigration lawyers will surely help Muslims to contend with the US’s changing immigration laws, especially if these laws change once again following the 2020 elections.

What’s the Future of the UK Healthcare System? The Challenges and Solutions for 2020

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With a General Election scheduled for December 12th, it’s little wonder that the NHS has once again become a key battleground for the political parties. The Tories were the most recent to launch their manifesto, pledging to invest heavily in the development of several hospitals and the training of up to 50,000 new nurses.

Whilst these measures would be welcomed if they were to transpire, they’re not enough by themselves to reverse the decline of our National Health Service. After all, there were an estimated 97,000 vacancies in all NHS trusts in England as of December 2017, whilst the advent of advanced technology has yet to be applied consistently nationwide.

But what are the key challenges and solutions of 2020, and what will the future of healthcare look like? Let’s find out!

  • The Digitisation of the NHS is Key to Future Cost and Operational Efficiency

If you look at one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS and healthcare in the UK, it’s patient flow management and the strain being placed on staff members.

Whilst sophisticated technologies such as patient flow software and electronic records may have been developed to help tackle this issue, however, the fact remains that the existing government has so far failed to implement these systems at scale or to the benefit of the healthcare sector.

This has prevented healthcare providers from leveraging the true value of such technologies, whilst they’ve also been unable to assess their benefits and feasibility on a broad scale.

With significant investment in infrastructure and a keen understanding of how patient flow software can improve the efficiency and speed of patient care, however, 2020 could see this technology start to revolutionise the NHS.

  • Patients Must Continue to Embrace New Technologies

Another key aspect of healthcare technology is the ability of patients to embrace this, and this requires some investment to be made in education and providing information on how innovation will shape the modern patient experience.

This is borne out by the rising popularity of video consultations, which enable patients to consult their GP online when discussing minor ailments and ongoing conditions that are being managed.

Make no mistake; healthcare providers have taken proactive steps towards promoting this type of consultation and its unique benefits, creating a scenario where patients can embrace more accessible treatment and realise the true benefits of innovation.

This is particularly ideal for elderly or infirm patients, who may be unable to leave their home without significant assistance.

  • The Use of Data Will Become Central to NHS Efficiency

We touched earlier on the concept of electronic records, which are evolving to create a more consistent and accessible source of patient data that can be shared between different healthcare providers.

Whilst this will become central to the efficient treatment of patients in the future, however, it also raises potential issues in terms of data storage and usage.

More specifically, there are concerns that the commercial and research organizations that use data for health research will have access to a broader range of patient information, creating the potential for mistrust in some instances.

With this in mind, much work needs to be done to ensure that patients are educated in terms of how their personal data is utilised within the NHS, whilst there also needs to be public dialogue between healthcare providers and the general public.

Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2019 Deals for Tech-Lovers

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What did people do before Black Friday? Enjoy Thanksgiving lunch with their family? Who can even fathom such a thing?

I kid. But it’s hard to argue the fact that, at least in the United States, Thanksgiving has become synonymous with Black Friday, and a lot of people would rather celebrate Black Friday than Thanksgiving.

It’s not my place to argue against this change, as I love Black Friday, and I love Cyber Monday even more. So much, in fact, that I feel compelled to let you know about some of the top deals going on this Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

(Disclaimer: many Cyber Monday deals are the same as their Black Friday counterpart. However, there are some diamonds in the rough. Many retailers don’t advertise Cyber Monday deals until after Black Friday, so you need to be quick!)

The Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch made waves when it was released back in 2017, and ever since then, Nintendo has been riding off these waves, releasing hit after hit: Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade: Chronicles 2, etc.

Nintendo would love to sell more, though, which is why some Black Friday deals for the Nintendo Switch have already been revealed. While you’ll still need to spend $200 for the Nintendo Switch Lite, you’ll be able to buy them in bundles now, the main one being a bundle with Mario Kart 8 at GameStop.

Better yet, you’ll receive a $25 dollar gift card for GameStop with the purchase of a bundle, which is nice.

A Reputable VPN

The Cyber Monday deals we do know about revolve around VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks. VPN allows you to stay secure while on public networks and at home, making sure people can’t intercept the data travelling to and from your devices.

Sounds like something you’d want, huh? I agree. In fact, I’ve been using a VPN for a few years now. If a VPN sounds like something you need or want, then be sure to check out all the VPN deals this Cyber Monday. A VPN company without a Cyber Monday VPN deal doesn’t exist, so you won’t have to look far!

4K TVs

I would like to be more specific about what 4K TVs you should be keeping an eye out for, but doing so would be unhelpful of me. There are many different types of 4K Tvs, from LCD to OLED, and many different features in these 4K TVs that can make or break them for certain people.

However, many (and I mean, many) 4K TVs are on sale at Best Buy, so if you’re based in the US or Canada, head down there and take your pick! You’ll be like a kid in a candy shop!

Apple Airpods Pro

The Apple Airpods Pro were just released, which makes it strange that Apple’s already resorted to discounting them this Black Friday. But we’ll take it, right?

You can find the Airpods Pro on sale for $15 off their asking price of $249. I know, it doesn’t sound like much, but $15 can get you a month of Spotify Premium, which I assume you’ll be using often with your Airpods Pro. Any money saved is a good deal, and now is the best time to buy the Airpods Pro.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch

Smartwatches may still be a “niche” product, but there’s no denying that the Samsung Galaxy watch is a fantastic product. With a long-lasting battery, sharp display, and an endless catalog of themes and watch faces, the Galaxy watch is one of the best smart-watches you can buy, and now it’s one sale.

Yes, for only $269 (originally $349), you can buy a Galaxy Watch this Black Friday off Samsung’s official website. For $80 off, buying the Galaxy Watch feels less like a fair transaction and more like a highway robbery off the interstate. Either way, you got a brand new watch for a lot less than you’d usually get it for!

How to start your own construction company

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Whether you’re a builder or bricklayer, no day is the same in the construction sector, and few things are as satisfying as the moment you’ve finally finished a big job. If you’re particularly passionate about your livelihood, you may well have thought about starting your own company. Total control over your work life is arguably appealing, but exactly how do you make the jump from being an employee to becoming your own boss? You may think it’s a long, complicated process, but it really only takes following these five steps to call yourself a construction business owner.

Write a business plan

Launching a construction company isn’t something you do on a whim, so it’s vital to draw up a business plan before you take any further steps. Not only is this integral to securing the funding you need, but a solid outline will determine how you’ll make revenue, and help you visualise your future enterprise. Market research is vital in order to gauge your idea’s potential success rate. This involves identifying and analysing your competitors, and their prices, and perhaps even speaking to local residents to see whether there’s room for another construction company in your local area. If not, consider reevaluating your concept. However, if you can see a profitable future, you’ll need to put everything in writing.

Your business plan will contain your corporate goals and procedures, including your staffing ambitions, marketing plan, overall costs, and how the company will be structured. You and your lenders will also need to know how you plan to sustain and expand your construction company, so maintenance and forecasting must be considered. This level of detail can be daunting if you’re not experienced in creating documentation, but it’s not as difficult as it may seem. There are many helpful templates and tips available online, or you could even hire a professional to help write yours.

Complete relevant registrations

How you register your construction company will depend on whether you set up as a sole trader, limited company or partnership. These different types of registration are marked by their reporting, management and accounting responsibilities. Once you’ve examined your options and made a decision, you can find details of the registration processes for each on the UK Government’s website.

You may also need to register for the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), which works to reduce tax evasion and protects workers from false employment. Contractors cover their subcontractors’ tax and national insurance contributions by deducting money from their pay. No matter how you’ve registered your business, it’s mandatory that you sign up before hiring your first subcontractor. However, the scheme does not apply if you hire employees instead. You can register directly through HMRC, and as a registered CIS worker, you’ll have 20% rather than 30% tax deducted from your own salary.

Though not compulsory unless your annual turnover is expected to exceed £85,000, you could also register for VAT. This means you can charge this tax on the products and services you deliver, then claim it back on your business purchases. Construction work is typically charged at a standard rate of VAT, as opposed to a reduced or zero rate, but you should first consider whether it’s right for your business at all.

Apply for insurance

The construction industry can certainly be fraught with risk. You’re using dangerous tools and working in close quarters with valuable property, so it’s vital you’re protected against any accidents. What’s more, some clients may refuse to hire you unless you have sufficient coverage, so organising appropriate insurance could also help secure future work.

Though the policy you need depends on the nature of your business, there are certain covers that are essential for working in construction. For instance, public liability insurance is essential for builders as this covers them against any personal injuries or property damage resulting from their work. These unexpected incidents are a possibility when builders work in close proximity to members of the public, but this policy ensures that compensation and legal fees will always be covered by the insurance provider rather than the business. If you hire employees, then employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement, covering you against personal injuries and property damage involving your workforce rather than third parties. Meanwhile, if you want to be covered in the event that any of your tools, materials or building works are damaged or stolen, contractors all risk insurance is specifically designed for those in your industry.

Acquire funding

Construction businesses can often save money on office space, as the vast majority of the work is off-site, and owners can complete any admin tasks from home. However, depending on the type of venture you wish to start, you may be required to purchase costly equipment before you can get started. Therefore, unless you’ve been saving up, you’ll need to find a lender to help finance your dream.

Friends and family

Your loved ones may be able to offer a helping hand, although this may be an awkward conversation and cause friction if there any issues regarding your repayments. If this is the path you choose, you must have a loan agreement drawn up, as well as a shareholder agreement if you decide to involve them more intimately in your new business.

Banks

It can be difficult for small businesses to obtain a bank loan, and there’s a wealth of detailed information you’ll need to provide to be in with a chance. This includes cash flow forecasts, evidence that you’ll be able to make regular repayments, and a good credit rating. You’ll also have to decide whether you want a secured loan, which uses valuable possessions like your house or car as collateral. These will usually have lower interest rates than unsecured loans, where banks put all their faith in you to repay your debt.

Private investors

This usually entails giving shares to the lender in return for funding. Liaising with private investors could mean involving them in the company’s strategy and management, so it’s vital you’re on board with all the terms and conditions and the expected dynamics of the relationship.

Government loans

You may be able to get the funding you need via a government initiative aimed at new businesses. One promising example comes from The Start Up Loans Company which could lend you up to £25,000 and also offer valuable advice and mentoring. The Business Finance & Support Finder tool on the GOV.UK website lists all the options available to you, allowing you to filter by sector, region, size and more.

Start work

Now you have everything you need to get your construction company off the ground, it’s time to attract customers and start working. Thanks to your detailed business plan, you will already have a  marketing strategy, know which materials and equipment to purchase, and be aware of what your company is capable of. Once the work starts coming in, you’ll need to draw up contracts outlining what is to be constructed and how. There are several types of construction contracts, and the one you choose will depend on the size and nature of the project. Then wait for all parties to sign on the dotted line, and your construction company is officially in action.

Matica’s CEO, Sandro Camilleri reflects on the dichotomy between privacy and safety

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In spite of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) demands, people in the UK are still becoming victims of data breaches, an incident that could cost nearly £2.7 million according to IBM research. However, the damage goes beyond finances to reputation of the affected companies.

Among the biggest data leaks in 2019 is Facebook incident where 18 million British Facebook members had their phone numbers exposed and Teletext Holidays exposure of half a million sensitive files, including 212,000 audio files of customer calls. In other words, all these leaked data are sensitive exactly because they are means to identify a person and, when such information is exposed, privacy is hurt in the first place. But in order to make systems work better, companies and governments require more and more personal data from users and citizens, a requisition that nevertheless raise doubt and concern among people.

Matica Technologies, for instance, is one of the leading players offering identification services and products to companies and governments that need efficiency, but also safety. In this sense, Matica‘s CEO Sandro Camilleri is precise when reflecting upon the dichotomy between privacy and safety, freedom and control: “From Plato to Karl Popper, control has always been a key issue. On one hand, there is the need to defend society from threats, on the other hand, the need to ‘be defended by defenders’, to maintain the principles of democracy and freedom.”

Camilleri mentions a recently approved system from Shenzhen, China, where each traffic light contains a camera, which means a total of 57.000 devices capable of recognising the faces of drivers. With such information, police officers can monitor images from a personal level, keeping a record four each individual. “It sounds like science fiction, but it’s already yesterday’s news,” argues Sandro Camilleri. “I firmly believe that our duty, in the western world, is to do everything we can to prevent arriving at that point, and therefore equip ourselves with adequate, minimally invasive but effective tools, of transnational entities able to manage potentially dangerous situations, as well as the necessary technologies to store biometric data in documents.”

To Camilleri, the challenge is to find something in between the “Big Brother scenario” seen in Shenzhen and tragic events such as 9/11 or the 2015 Paris attacks. “We must ask ourselves, as a community, what we want to focus on. It’s easy to be indignant if you are asked four your fingerprints at customs to access the US, but it’s harder to come to grips with a terrorist attack that perhaps could have been avoided,” he says.

Matica’s solutions include products and services that respect privacy by offering fortified data storage systems at the same time its technologies are prepared to deliver safety and intelligence to problem-solving and security measurements. “The defence of life comes in the first place four me, and one of the ways to ensure this is to guarantee reliable digital identification tools, like the ones we produce everyday with my company,” concludes Sandro Camilleri.

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