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The New World of Cryptocurrency And Where Is It Headed?

Cryptocurrency is known for being a volatile, high-risk investment, but as more people learn about it and grasp what it is and how it works, more and more are becoming intrigued by the potential to boost their income by investing. Cryptocurrency like Bitcoin has seen extraordinary returns in recent years, and several developments suggest a positive trend will continue for crypto and investors. 

Where is Cryptocurrency Headed?

This year has been great for crypto. With Bitcoin reaching an all-time high price, regulatory talks will significantly impact the industry. People’s interest in crypto has also skyrocketed in 2021, making it a hot topic in the investment world and pop culture. 

 

Unfortunately, cryptocurrency is still in its opening and continues to evolve, making it difficult to predict where things are headed in the future. However, in the coming months, many experts are following regulations and institutional adoption of cryptocurrency payments to try to understand more about the market. 

 

Exact predictions on any investment are virtually impossible, but cryptocurrency is even more difficult to predict. That being said, a few things going on in the world of crypto can give us an idea of where it’s headed. 

Regulation

Soon, expect a continued conversation about the regulation of cryptocurrency. Lawmakers and regulators around the globe are trying to find out how to establish laws to make investing in cryptocurrency safer. Because crypto attracts criminals because it isn’t currently regulated, lawmakers want to make crypto less appealing. 

 

China, in particular, has started to crack down on these digital currencies with crypto mining regulations. Additionally, the US has considered new regulations to make cryptocurrency taxable. 

 

Many in the industry would welcome clearer regulation on crypto to make investing easier and safer, but regulation comes with problems. Some agencies would and would not have jurisdiction over crypto, and it would differ by state. 

 

Clear regulation would help investment firms and independent investors know exactly what they need to do. 

 

The new regulation would make it easier for the IRS to find tax evasion, but investors should already be keeping records of gains and losses on their assets. New rules, however, would make it easier for investors to properly report their transactions. You can use a professional tax software, to help simplify the process. 

 

If new regulation passes, then exchanges will issue 1099-B forms to investors, which can reduce stress when it comes to filing taxes. Unfortunately, regulations can also impact the price of the cryptocurrency in an already volatile market where investors should never invest more than what they are capable of losing. 

EFT Approval

Investors have access to crypto EFTs, which represent a more conventional way of investing. An EFT allows investors to buy directly from brokerages they already have accounts with. 

 

EFT approval is being considered by the SEC, but there have been no greenlit efforts yet when it comes to approval. Most experts believe approval should happen within the next few months to a few years. 

 

As of right now, there are no approved EFTs in the US, but approval would mean more investors in the US, which can influence the global market. Instead of navigating an exchange, investors could add cryptocurrency to their portfolio from the same brokerage. 

 

Even with an EFT, the crypto investment would still carry risk, but different cryptocurrencies could still diversify portfolios. If an investor is not willing to lose a sum of money, then it’s not a good idea to invest in crypto yet. 

Institutional Adoption

More mainstream companies are taking an interest in cryptocurrency and blockchain this year. Many are already accepting bitcoin, while Fintech companies like Square are planning on allowing users to buy on their platforms. With so many household names accepting crypto, more and more will buy-in. 

 

Many experts expect that global corporations will begin adopting cryptocurrency payments this year or next. Large companies like big banks can add more credibility to cryptocurrency. 

 

Paying for things in crypto doesn’t make sense for many people right now, but with more retailers accepting payments in cryptocurrency, that attitude might change in the future. 

 

It will likely be years before spending Bitcoin on goods and services is widespread, but if more companies adopt these payment solutions, then it’s a possibility in the future. Bitcoin prices are sure to increase if cryptocurrency becomes used in everyday situations. As there’s more demand, the value will increase. 

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the largest name in crypto, which is why experts look to it to understand the market as a whole. Bitcoin’s price has fluctuated immensely this year alone, making it one of the most volatile investments. Predicting how high Bitcoins prices will go is difficult to predict, but the company’s past can give us some clues. 

 

Since its inception, Bitcoin has had spikes followed by pullbacks, which allows experts to predict that Bitcoin investments are volatile in the short term, but you can expect growth in the long term.

 

Volatility is something new investors typically avoid, but for experienced investors, it’s the reason to play in the long run. If you buy for long-term potential, then you don’t have to worry about short-term volatility. 

The Future of Crypto

While we can speculate on crypto’s value for investors in the next few months and years, we still can’t predict much. Crypto is still a very new and volatile investment. Without having much history like stocks, it’s difficult to base predictions. No matter what experts say, nobody knows what the future holds for crypto and its investors. 

 

As we’ve stated multiple times, you should only invest what you are prepared to lose when it comes to volatile investments. Your cryptocurrency investments should not be more than 5% of your total portfolio. While taking on risk is nothing new for experienced investors, the key is to take a calculated risk. Take time to learn about cryptocurrency and bitcoin, so you have a better understanding of where you want to begin your investment.

 

Investing is something you can start at any age with the proper knowledge and tools. However, by keeping your investments small, you can spare yourself a lot of trouble in the future. Never put crypto over any other investment, such as your retirement accounts. 

 

Matt Casadona

Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys San Diego life, traveling, and music.

Rizwaan Ahmad Khan: A Friendly Fraud!

I had a dear friend in Pakistan, Rizwaan Ahmad Khan, who defrauded me out of about $1000. I had known Rizwaan for a long time and considered him one of my closest friends. I trusted him and was always there to help him out when he needed it, including lending him small amounts of money.

A few months ago, I hired a Pakistani web developer to build my photography website. They requested payment up front and said it would take 1-2 months to complete. I sent them $500 on 09/25/2021, but after a month, the website wasn’t showing much progress. Despite this, I sent them an additional $500 on 11/02/2021. Over the next few months, they continued to ask for more money, but I didn’t give it to them. They also stopped updating me on the progress of the website.

Feeling frustrated and not knowing what to do, I turned to Rizwaan for help. He spoke with one of his friends about the situation and even showed the developer screenshots of our communication. The developer then contacted me again, asking me not to contact him anymore. But I showed the developer’s boss, who was also the employer, the screenshots of our communication. He promised to repay me the money in a few days but later stopped replying to my texts.

I then asked Rizwaan for help again, and he got in touch with his business partner. The developer then transferred the money to Rizwaan’s bank account, or so we thought. Rizwaan later informed me that the money never arrived in his account and that the bank was holding it because it was a large amount. He said he went to the bank to complete a form about the money and that either he or the bank would call back. But he repeatedly excused himself, saying he had other obligations.

Weeks went by with no talk about the money, but eventually, I asked Rizwaan about it again. He then told me that the money was never transferred to his account by the developer, Ali. I contacted Ali, but Rizwaan refused to talk to him. Ali then threatened to seek legal counsel and even obtained Rizwaan’s bank statements from the bank manager. Rizwaan warned both Ali and me not to obtain his bank statements without his consent and threatened to contact the police. He also promised to give me the money out of kindness if he didn’t receive it from Ali. But later, he stopped responding to my texts and calls.

What hurts the most is not the money itself, but the fact that one of my best friends did this to me. To my readers, I hope you don’t become the Rizwaan to any of your friends. Whether Rizwaan was a friend or a fraud, I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

6 Ways Technology Has Helped Us in Our Day to Day Life

6 Ways Technology Has Helped Us in Our Day to Day Life

Technology is a form of progress that is seen by some as evil and others as a benefit. Technology can be intimidating because it’s constantly evolving, and it seems like there’s a new gadget every week. However, there are many benefits of technology, including the fact that it can make everyday life easier. Here’s how technology has helped us in our day-to-day lives. 

1. Improves Business Function

Businesses that don’t adopt technology will fall behind the competition, but those who do adopt technology and learn how to leverage it can start working more efficiently and productively. With new technology emerging every year, business operations can become more effective. A few examples of how technology improves business function are:

Improves Strategies

Everything from your marketing strategy to the hiring process can be improved by technology to help increase efficiency while providing your business with the data it needs to make important decisions. For example, if you need to hire a new employee, you might use HR software to segment candidates based on skill sets and experience. You can then use your software to schedule interviews and manage the entire hiring process from beginning to end. 

Accurate Data

One of the most significant benefits of technology for businesses is you can easily collect all of the data you need to improve your business. For example, you can collect data on your customers that help you learn how to effectively market to them. You can also use internal data to find bottlenecks in your operation so you can pinpoint ways to solve issues and improve overall efficiency. 

Improved Collaboration & Communication

Thanks to the many communication tools available for businesses, your employees can collaborate on projects and communicate without having to leave their desks. Your entire workforce can communicate even if everyone works remotely, making every aspect of communication more efficient. With helpful tools like Slack, your employees don’t have to wait for meetings or phone calls to ask quick questions that might be hindering their abilities to finish tasks. 

More Effective Advertising

As we’ve already mentioned, you can leverage data to help you advertise your products and services to the right people at the right times. There are many tools available to help you reach new customers, including digital advertising solutions like Google Ads and Facebook Advertising. 

2. Makes Education More Accessible

Technology goes beyond helping businesses succeed in a competitive marketplace; it can also improve education at every level. Here’s how:

Online Courses

Online courses used to be available only at the college level, but now there are courses available for almost anything. You can find a course in marketing, business administration, or even yoga to help you learn no matter where you are. 

Online Seminars

If taking an online class isn’t for you, you might be interested to know you can virtually attend seminars and have professional experience. Online seminars make it possible for you to attend any seminars you like without the need to travel. 

Improved Research

Thanks to search engines, there’s no longer any reason to visit a library and start browsing books to help you find the answers to your questions. Instead, you can look up anything online and get the answers you need to help you succeed in school. The only caveat to this is tons of misinformation online, so you must learn how to determine what a reputable source looks like. 

Better Communication

While technology improves communication in the workplace, it also improves communication in our personal lives. Instead of showing up to family and friends’ homes unannounced, you can communicate with them any time, anywhere with your cell phone or messaging apps like Facebook Messenger. Of course, you can always call people from your cell phone if you want to talk as well. 

Not only that, but more people are using video calls than ever before because of the pandemic. If you want to see someone face-to-face, but you live far away from one another, you can hop on a Google Meet or Skype call and see each other. 

3. Better Transportation

Thanks to technology, we have vehicles and public transportation that make getting anywhere much easier than it used to be. Before people had cars, they had to walk everywhere on foot or horseback, which means you likely wouldn’t make it anywhere on time. Transportation technology only continues to improve year after year. For example, many Americans are now switching from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs), which can help reduce our carbon footprint while saving us money on gas. 

4. Time Savings

Technology ultimately saves us time when it comes to just about anything. If you use technology in your home, you may take for granted how much time you’re saving by using a microwave or washing machine.

5. Saves Lives

While your cell phone isn’t likely to save your life, it can help you quickly reach emergency care, which can save your life. Not only that but new devices and technologies come out all the time to help people live healthier lives. For example, you can get a smartwatch that will remind you to keep moving and improve your cardiovascular health. 

Additionally, medical devices are also designed to directly save lives and improve quality of life. 

6. Convenience

Technology makes everything more convenient. For example, instead of visiting the doctor, you can schedule a telemedicine appointment and have your doctor’s visit in the comfort of your own home. 

Other examples of how technology makes things more convenient are:

  • Accessing information
  • Talking to friends and family
  • Making new friends
  • Dating

The whole purpose we use technology in our daily lives is to make everything more convenient to save you time and energy. Even something as simple as the remote start to your vehicle can help you save time in the morning and keep your body comfortable on the way to work. 

Technology in Our Daily Lives

Technology will continue to evolve, so it’s up to you to find the devices and technologies that can continue to improve your life. Of course, the use of technology is only beneficial in moderation. If you’re spending too much time texting your friends while you’re with family, people can quickly get annoyed. In addition, some forms of technology can be addictive, so it’s important to use technology wisely and know when you’re going overboard. 

 

Matt Casadona

Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys San Diego life, traveling, and music. 

 

5 Steps to Increase Employee Retention

Do you have a great team, and you want to keep it that way? You’ll find that it’s a complicated time in the workforce nowadays, so it’s important that employers who have great team members try their best to keep it that way. You don’t want to lose the good ones! Here are some things you can do to improve employee retention in your company:  

 

Get feedback from your team

It really helps to get feedback from your team when you want to reduce employee turnover. Whether you do this in the form of an anonymous suggestion box (although that’s a bit outdated), meetings, or through websites that offer great options for anonymous employee feedback, it’s important to get the word from your team on things they may like to see changed in the work environment and more. 

 

Show respect and appreciation for your team

Respecting the people on your team is something that should be done everywhere, but unfortunately, it’s not. In the effort to succeed, some companies forget the humanness that we all have. Show your team how much you respect them as individuals and appreciate what they do for the team. 

 

Whether this looks like surprise happy hours instead of work on random workdays or like company retreats that allow them to relax with co-workers, show your employees how much you appreciate them for what they bring to the table. This will go far in employee retention

 

Offer incentives 

Incentives can help employee retention as well, as your team will know that when they produce more in a specific quarter, it could look like more money or another type of incentive you know will keep your team motivated. Employees who are motivated are bound to do more for the company and want to stay on because of an inspiring work environment than those who are not. 

 

Allow for a work-life balance

It’s important to allow for a work-life balance, however this may look like for your company. Whether it’s offering some remote workdays for your team or changing the work hours to a more comfortable schedule, letting your team live a life that’s enjoyable and relaxed may actually go far in encouraging the kind of productivity that you’re looking for from your team. 

 

People who can manage their own schedules typically tend to produce more than those who feel tied to the 9-5, so consider ways you can change the work-life balance in your company. Perhaps you’ll need to work with a business culture consultant to come up with a plan that ensures company success AND employee retention. 

 

Stay connected to your team

The best way to make sure you keep your team happy is to get to know them. Understand who you have on your team and what makes them tick. When you’re connected to your team, it’s easier to create a workplace environment that allows them to be as productive and happy as they can on the job. 

 

Get to know your employees on a personal level and understand their joys and pains. You can get personal while keeping it professional. 

In Conclusion

In a time when there has been a great exit from the U.S. workforce, it’s important for companies to do what they can to retain employees. While the pandemic has made it hard on many brands and businesses, and you may find yourself stretched thin, if you can show your team appreciation and provide motivation and incentives, it can go far in keeping the best people on board your company ship. We’re all human and our work-lives should reflect this. 

 

The Ukraine-Russia Conflict: A Devastating Struggle for Sovereignty and Environment.

Introduction:

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has garnered international attention and condemnation. This complex and tragic situation has not only resulted in the loss of human lives but has also inflicted severe damage on Ukraine’s environment and natural resources. In this blog, we will delve into the origins of the conflict, its impact on the people and land, and the global implications of this ongoing struggle.

The Origins of the Conflict:

The roots of the Ukraine-Russia conflict trace back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine emerged as an independent nation, but tensions between its pro-European western regions and the pro-Russian eastern regions soon became apparent. These divisions deepened over the years, culminating in the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the outbreak of violence in Eastern Ukraine.

The Accusations:

Ukraine and much of the international community accuse Russia of invading Ukraine and supporting separatist movements in Eastern Ukraine. This has led to a protracted conflict, resulting in thousands of casualties and a humanitarian crisis. Accusations of human rights abuses and indiscriminate violence have been made against both sides, further fueling the conflict’s intensity.

Environmental Devastation:

Beyond the loss of human lives and displacement of civilians, the Ukraine-Russia conflict has also had a profound impact on the environment and nature. This includes:

1. Damage to Critical Infrastructure: The conflict has caused severe damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure, including power plants, water treatment facilities, and industrial sites. This damage has led to leaks of hazardous chemicals and pollutants, polluting air and water supplies.

2. Deforestation and Land Degradation: The conflict has resulted in deforestation due to military operations and the displacement of people. Additionally, landmines and unexploded ordnance have made large areas of land unsafe for farming or other uses, leading to land degradation.

3. Disruption of Wildlife: Wildlife habitats have been disrupted by the conflict, leading to the displacement of animals and disruption of ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity is a concerning consequence.

4. Impact on Water Resources: The destruction of infrastructure has led to the contamination of rivers and water bodies, affecting not only human populations but also aquatic life and ecosystems.

Global Implications:

The Ukraine-Russia conflict has global implications beyond the immediate region. It has strained relations between Russia and Western countries, leading to economic sanctions and diplomatic tensions. Additionally, the conflict has raised concerns about the security of Europe and the international order.

Conclusion:

The Ukraine-Russia conflict is a tragic and multifaceted struggle that has resulted in significant loss of life, human suffering, and environmental damage. Resolving this conflict requires international cooperation, diplomatic efforts, and a commitment to addressing the humanitarian and environmental crises it has caused. The people of Ukraine deserve a future of peace, stability, and the opportunity to rebuild their country and environment.