11 Financial Goals to Hit Before You’re 50

The approach of a milestone birthday is a reminder that, as life changes, so do your needs and circumstances. With the Big Five-O the question is settled: You’re no longer a kid. And that’s a great thing: Maturity is much better than it’s cracked up to be. So, instead of dreading it, update your financial life by hitting these targets and embrace the coming decades:

1. Debt: Tamed

Maybe it’s maturity, or maybe it’s the prospect of dragging debts through your so-called golden years, but you have paid off your debts or have them under control. You add new debt only when you can easily handle it. You pay credit card balances before interest is applied. Your total debt follows principles outlined in “The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After 50”:

28 percent: An industry rule of thumb suggests that no more than 28 percent of your pretax household income should go to servicing home debt (principal, interest, taxes, and insurance).

36 percent: No more than 36 percent of your pretax income should go to all debt: your home debt plus credit card debt and auto loans.

Not quite there yet? Learn how to tackle big debts fast. Before signing up for credit cards, comparison shop for the best rates and lowest fees.

2. Spending: Under control

With children possibly gone from the home and maybe out of school, you may have more money on hand now, and it’s tempting to spend it. After all, your friends may be living it up, and you’ve worked hard to get here. Have fun. But don’t shortchange retirement goals. If you are well-employed, your 50s are a gift — probably the best earning years of your life. Double down on savings, as retirement may last a long, long time.

Also, start thinking about how you’ll change your spending after retirement.

3. Retirement goals: Defined

Set a concrete goal for your retirement savings. Just do it. The kids will find a way to pay for college if it matters to them. They have years to get on their feet financially. You do not. Set a retirement income goal now so that, if you are short financially, there’s time to improve things.

There are a couple of approaches. One is to shoot for saving six to nine times your annual household income by your mid-50s to early 60s, says Walter Updegrave, at Real Deal Retirement. Example: If you earn $60,000 a year, your IRA, 401(k) or other account should approach $360,000 to $540,000 as you near 60.

Another is to see how far your current retirement savings will take you. This KeyBank calculator shows that a nest egg of $1 million will last 21 years if you withdraw $50,000 a year (assuming inflation is 2.5 percent and investments earn 3 percent after tax and inflation). Only have $100,000 saved? It’ll buy you two years of retirement at the same rate of spending.

Now that you have a goal, keep increasing the percent of each paycheck saved for retirement. Make the increases so small they’re hardly noticeable. If you’re diverting 12 percent to savings now, bump it up to 13 percent, or 13.5 percent. Six months later, give your savings another tiny raise and keep it going until you are at goal. Ditto if you’re saving 6 percent: Inch it up to 7 percent, and then onward.

Some experts recommend saving 15 percent to 20 percent or more of before-tax salary. Automate the deductions, so you’ll never see the money. Getting a bonus? Put a hefty chunk into retirement savings.

The rock-bottom line: Even in the worst times, save at least enough to earn your employer’s maximum matching contribution.

You may be pessimistic about Social Security’s chances, and you could be right to expect cuts in payouts or a change in eligibility ages. Social Security is not going bust. Before long, though, Congress must either find more funding or shrink benefits.

But don’t bet against this retirement lifeline. It still is likely to be one source of income in your retirement, and there are things you can do now to maximize your payout.

Go to SocialSecurity.gov and set up a “My Social Security” account. Use it to estimate your future benefits at various retirement ages. Social Security benefits are based on your best 35 years of earnings, so plan to work longer if you need to boost those earning years.

6. 401(k): Lowest fees possible

Fees paid to manage retirement savings may appear low. “What’s 3.5 percent but a drop in the bucket?” you think. Wrong!

Many savers unknowingly pay far too much in mutual fund fees, losing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars they could have used in retirement. This chart offers an example, Watch the video of ’11 Financial Goals to Hit Before You’re 50′ on MoneyTalksNews.com.

Beginning balance Annual return Fees Balance in 35 years

$25,000 7% 0.50% $227,000

$25,000 7% 1.50% $163,000

Check your plan statements to see the fees you are charged. Time Magazine explains:

… you can minimize fees by opting for the lowest-cost funds available — typically index funds, which tend to be less expensive than actively managed funds. And if your IRA is too pricey, move it elsewhere.

7. Your will: Updated

You don’t need a will. If you don’t have one, a probate court will decide what to do with your assets.

If you want control over what happens to your money and property, though, you’ll need one. And your spouse should have a separate will. A will gives voice to your decisions and requests after you’re gone. Use it to say what you want for your children and pets after you’re gone. Use it to determine what happens to possessions with financial or sentimental value. You can name an executor who will be in charge of following your directions and include provisions for your remains and a funeral, if you want one.

Committing to doing good in the world is a part of maturing. With a small budget or a large one, philanthropy allows you to express your values and connects you to the world on new terms. There’s the personal satisfaction, and there’s also a helpful tax deduction.

9. Long-term care: A plan in mind

By our 50th birthday, it occurs to many of us that maybe — just maybe — we really will get old. Since many of us will end up needing skilled nursing care in old age, at least for a short time, managing your finances requires considering how to pay for it. Long-term care insurance can be an excellent tool. But whether it’s right for you depends on several things.

Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson lays out the pros, cons and considerations in “Ask Stacy: Should I Buy Long-Term Care Insurance?”

10. Mortgage: End in sight

Entering retirement with a paid-off mortgage is a smart goal. Tearing up the mortgage before retirement was commonplace a couple of generations ago. Not everyone can pull it off these days, but the rewards are great. You’ll require less income. If your mortgage eats a quarter or a third or more of your monthly pay, you’ll enjoy a raise of that much, just when your paychecks stop. What’s more, it’s a tax-free raise.

One way to end your mortgage: Don’t refinance. Refinancing piles on fees, money you could use for paying off the balance. Look for better strategies here: “7 Painless Ways to Pay Off Your Mortgage Years Earlier.”

11. Insurance: Reviewed and adjusted accordingly

Life changes, and so should your insurance. If your children or spouse would be lost without your salary, get enough life insurance to carry them through if you die. Stick with cheaper term insurance (low-fee index funds, not life insurance products, are a cheaper way to save for retirement).

Likewise, if losing your salary would be financially devastating, cover the risk with disability insurance.

When children are launched in careers and you and your spouse are nearer retirement, you may be able to drop life insurance.

Take a look at your home and auto insurance limits, too. Is the coverage still appropriate?

As for heath insurance, enlist an insurance broker — it should cost you nothing — to review your health insurance needs and costs. If you have a high-deductible plan, total your most recent year’s out-of-pocket expenses to make certain that you still are coming out ahead.

read more...

The 20 highest-paying tech companies in America

Silicon Valley’s stratospheric tech salaries are higher than ever — if you can believe it.

That’s according to a Glassdoor report out Wednesday called the “25 Highest Paying Companies in America for 2017,” which features 20 tech-related companies.

The high-paying tech companies are led by the virtualized computing company VMWare, big data enterprise software business Splunk, and software and engineering services company Cadence Design Systems. Every tech company on the list pays the average employee between $2,000 and $15,000 more in total compensation than they did in 2016.

Taken together, those salaries far surpass pay in many other industries in the US. The lowest-paying tech company on Glassdoor’s list, the content delivery service Akamai, pays the average employee $121,000 in annual base compensation — more than twice the average American employee’s salary of $49,000 a year. 

Here are the 20 tech companies that made Glassdoor’s list ranked in descending order:

VMware (VMW)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 3

Median Total Compensation: $167,050

Median Base Compensation: $136,750

Splunk (SPLK)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 4

Median Total Compensation: $161,010

Median Base Compensation: $132,500

Cadence Design Systems (CDNS)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 5

Median Total Compensation: $156,702

Median Base Compensation: $141,202

Google (GOOG, GOOGL)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 6

Median Total Compensation: $155,250

Median Base Compensation: $120,000

Facebook (FB)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 7

Median Total Compensation: $155,000

Median Base Compensation: $130,000

NVIDIA (NVDA)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 8

Median Total Compensation: $154,000

Median Base Compensation: $150,000

Amazon Lab126 (AMZN)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 10

Median Total Compensation: $152,800

Median Base Compensation: $130,400

Juniper Networks (JNPR)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 11

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Median Base Compensation: $138,500

LinkedIn

Rank on Glassdoor list: 12

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Median Base Compensation: $127,000

Salesforce (CRM)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 13

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Median Base Compensation: $120,000

Dimension Data

Rank on Glassdoor list: 14

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Median Base Compensation: $110,000

Synopsys (SNPS)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 15

Median Total Compensation: $148,000

Median Base Compensation: $130,000

Informatica

Rank on Glassdoor list: 16

Median Total Compensation: $147,400

Median Base Compensation: $125,000

Broadcom

Rank on Glassdoor list: 18

Median Total Compensation: $145,025

Median Base Compensation: $130,000

Microsoft (MSFT)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 19

Median Total Compensation: $144,000

Median Base Compensation: $127,000

Walmart eCommerce (WMT)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 20

Median Total Compensation: $143,500

Median Base Compensation: $124,900

Twitter (TWTR)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 22

Median Total Compensation: $142,000

Median Base Compensation: $125,000

F5 Networks (FFIV)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 23

Median Total Compensation: $140,555

Median Base Compensation: $125,000

Palo Alto Networks (PANW)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 24

Median Total Compensation: $140,020

Median Base Compensation: $124,700

Akamai (AKAM)

Rank on Glassdoor list: 25

Median Total Compensation: $140,000

Median Base Compensation: $121,000

read more...

Oil price has a roof

On 30 November, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries reached a historic agreement to limit oil production to 32.5 million barrels a day, with the aim of boosting the prices of black gold. Since this agreement until today, oil has risen more than 17%, but this escalation has stopped at 55 dollars. Several causes or factors could be putting ceiling on oil: some inventories at record highs, OPEC countries that remain outside the agreement and cost reduction for the extraction of oil shale. 

As economists emphasize the ECB in its report Impact of November 2016 OPEC agreement on the oil market , this agreement is a change in the trend in oil prices, but limited and only short term. The ECB has increased its crude oil price forecasts by 19% over the previous baseline scenario. However, the monetary institution sees several risks that could spoil the upward trend in the price of oil and truncate OPEC expectations.

Three factors that intimidate oil

On one side they stand "l a massive existence of inventories accumulated for more than two years of oversupply, which can act as a buffer and have an effect on the response of prices".

A major danger for the price of black gold are the OPEC countries that remain outside the agreement. If political normalization and the clash climate is reduced in Libya and Nigeria, these countries can again reach their production levels for 2011-2012, so that the OPEC agreement will have lost 100% of its effect on supply Of crude oil. 

Finally, "the potential oil supply external reaction non - OPEC can put a ceiling on the response of oil prices. In particular, structural market changes that caused the revolution of shale in the US have reduced extraction costs Of this type of oil, a change that will affect the equilibrium price of oil, "the ECB report said. 

Production outside OPEC

As Shawn Driscoll, a manager of an energy investment fund, believes that as far as oil production is concerned, "a new wave of oil is coming in. US crude production hit ground in September from our point of view. we believe that the recovery is starting fracking "said the expert in an interview with Barron's. 

Driscoll goes further and dares to point out that the 'bearish' oil market will run for at least 10 or 15 years, because the structure has changed, now there are more players producing crude and prices can not go back to $ 100 when OPEC will like it. 

For its part, the ECB's conclusion, although not so straightforward, goes in a similar direction: "In the long term, the price of oil will remain tied to the marginal costs of production." The structural conditions of the market have not changed by the OPEC pact, "in any case the market is more competitive today than it was two years ago, as the restructuring of the US oil industry's costs and technological progress have reduced Important in three years. "

read more...

The risks of a US trade war with China

Risk is one of my all-time favorite board games. It’s among the very few that’s equal parts strategy and luck, and the stakes can’t get much higher than total world domination. It wasn’t uncommon for games between my friends and me to last for hours, sometimes deep into the night. 

Today a real-life game of Risk is unfolding on the world stage, with major players moving their pieces into place. 

As you probably recall, President-elect Donald Trump recently took a call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a decision that flies in the face of 40 years’ worth of U.S.-China diplomacy. Since 1978, the U.S. has had no diplomatic relations with Taiwan after acknowledging the “One China” policy—a policy Trump says the U.S. is not necessarily bound to. 

His phone call and comment follow tough talk on the campaign trail about China manipulating its currency and stealing American manufacturing jobs—though bringing them back might be hard, as we’ve steadily been losing such jobs since the Second World War. 

US Global Investors 

Trump has also threatened to impose an unrealistically high 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports, prompting U.S. companies operating in the Asian country to fear “retribution.”

For their part, the Chinese say they have “serious concerns” about Trump’s position on Taiwan and international trade, with one state-run newspaper describing the president-elect as “ignorant as a child” in the field of diplomacy. 

China’s “retribution” could be coming sooner than we expect. Last week, a top Chinese official visited Mexico to strengthen ties with the Latin American country, which has also frequently found itself caught in Trump’s crosshairs. Both countries—our number two and number three trading partners, after Canada—have expressed interest in lessening their dependency on the U.S., especially given the strong possibility that Trump could raise certain trade restrictions. 

In the fight for American jobs, we could be “risking” a trade war with China right on our southern doorstep. Though the stakes might not be as high as total global domination, they come pretty close. With rates moving up and the world resetting to less quantitative easing, inflation might accelerate. To avoid a global recession, Trump will need to make streamlining regulations a top priority. 

Gold Sidelined as Trump Rally Continues and Yields Surge 

For only the second time since 2008, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates last week, surprising no one. Although the 25 basis point lift was in line with expectations, markets took some time to digest the news that three rate hikes—not two, as was earlier expected—were likely to happen in 2017. Major averages hit the pause button for the first time since last month’s presidential election, but the Trump rally quickly resumed Thursday morning. 

The two-year Treasury yield immediately jumped to a nominal 1.27 percent after averaging 0.80 percent for most of 2016, an increase of 58 percent. In real, or inflation-adjusted, terms, the yield is still in negative territory, but it’s clearly heading up following the U.S. election and rate hike. Thirty-year mortgage rates, meanwhile, hit a two-year high. 

US Global Investors 

Gold retreated to a 10-month low. As I’ve explained many times before, gold has historically had an inverse relationship with bond yields, performing best when they’re moving south. 

It’s worth pointing out that the most recent gold bull market, which carried the yellow metal up 28 percent in the first six months of 2016, was triggered last December when the Fed hiked rates. 

US Global Investors 

Again, as many as three rate hikes are expected in 2017—unlike the one this year—with Fed Chair Janet Yellen commenting that economic conditions have improved well enough to warrant a more aggressive policy. If true, this should accelerate upward momentum of Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar—currently at a 14-year high—which could dampen gold’s chances of repeating the rally we saw in the first half of this year. 

US Global Funds 

Other gold drivers still remain in place, though, including negative-yielding government bonds elsewhere around the world. The value of such debt has dropped considerably since the election of Donald Trump, but it still stands at more than $10 trillion, supporting the investment case for the yellow metal. And as I mentioned previously, many of Trump’s protectionist policies—opposition to free trade agreements, imposition of tariffs on Chinese-made goods—are expected to heat up inflationary pressures in the U.S., which could serve as a gold catalyst. 

What’s more, gold is looking oversold, down two standard deviations for the 60-day period, which has historically signaled a good buying opportunity. With prices off close to 12 percent since Election Day, I believe this is an attractive time to rebalance your gold position. I’ve always recommended a 10 percent weighting, with 5 percent in gold stocks and the other 5 percent in bullion, coins and jewelry. 

Will Trump Tear Up Dodd-Frank? The Market Is Betting on It 

The top beneficiary of the Trump rally so far has been the banking industry, with bets driven by the potential for higher lending rates and stronger economic growth in the coming months, not to mention the president-elect’s pledge to reject any new financial regulations. 

US Global Investors 

I wouldn’t call this rally “irrational exuberance” just yet, but according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s monthly survey, fund managers have built up the largest overweight position ever in bank stocks—31 percent above their benchmarks on average. 

This phenomenal run-up implies investors have confidence Trump can make good on his promise to unleash the U.S. economy and dismantle Wall Street regulations. 

As I’ve made clear in previous commentaries, regulations are usually created with the best of intentions, and they’re sometimes necessary to establish a level playing field. But all too often, they end up impeding financial growth, hurting not just businesses but also consumers. 

Take Dodd-Frank. What was intended as a set of policies to prevent another financial meltdown has dramatically limited consumer choice, shrunk the number of retirement options and squeezed out smaller banks and credit unions. The 2,300-page act, signed in 2010, places a monumental burden on financial institutions, from banks to brokers to investment firms, which we have felt indirectly. Even former Fed Chair Ben Bernanke had a hard time refinancing his house in 2014, one of Dodd-Frank’s unintended consequences. 

Before 2010, about 75 percent of banks offered free checking accounts. Only two years later, that figure had fallen to less than 40 percent. Since the law went into effect, the U.S. has lost one community financial institution a day on average. This hurts credit-seeking small businesses and startups, not to mention consumers in the market to buy a new home or vehicle. 

US Global Investors 

In House Speaker Paul Ryan’s “A Better Way” initiative, several solutions to runaway regulations are proposed. One that stands out is a “regulatory budget,” which would limit the number and dollar amount of rules federal agencies can impose every year. My hope is that Ryan and Trump can set aside their differences to streamline the ever-growing mountain of rules that weighs on American businesses and restricts the flow of capital.

read more...

How to remember everything you read

Over on Quora, an overwhelmed student posed the question: "What is the best way to memorize or remember what you study/read?" 

Tons of people weighed in with answers based on their personal experiences and research. 

We rounded up some of the best insights from that Quora thread and scoured the web for expert advice on retaining more of what you consume — whether that's science textbooks, novels, or news articles. 

Below are nine of the most practical techniques — bonus points if you can remember all nine tomorrow. 

1. Skim the text first 

An anonymous user cites an article by Bill Klemm, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience, which highlights skimming as a key strategy for retaining information. 

The idea here isn't to skip the whole reading process. Instead, you'll want to skim the text for important topics and keywords beforehand so you know what to expect when you actually dig into the material. Being familiar with the general themes, Klemm says, will help you remember the particulars. 

2. Take notes on the page 

"Never read without a pencil," said a Quora user in a since-deleted comment. "Underline sentences you find confusing, interesting, or important. Draw lines along the side of important paragraphs. Draw diagrams to see the structure of key ideas." 

3. Ask yourself questions about the material 

Ingrid Spielman recommends interacting with the text by asking yourself questions as you go along. 

If you're reading a textbook, the question can be as simple as, "What is the main idea of this section?" 

Make associations between the information you're reading and facts you already know. Francisco Osorio/Flickr

4. Impress, associate, repeat 

Stack Exchange user TRdH says that memory is a three-pronged process.

The first part is impression. You can increase the strength of the impression the text makes on you by picturing the situation in your mind or envisioning yourself participating in the events described. 

The second part is association, or linking the material to something you already know. For example, maybe one of the character's names sounds like your friend's name. 

The third part is repetition. The more you read the material, the stronger your memory will be. If you don't want to reread a whole book, try highlighting some parts of the text that you can go back to. 

5. Introduce the information to others 

In a TED Talk, educational psychologist Peter Doolitle says that if you want to remember what you experience, it's important to do something with that information. 

Two Quora users listed talking about what you read as a useful means of processing new material. Venkatesh Rao suggests blogging, or otherwise trying to explain to others what you think you've learned. 

Plus, if you find that you can't explain it, you might want to go back and reread. 

6. Read out loud 

Another anonymous Quora user says, "I actually have to read out loud to myself most of the time to understand and remember what I just read." 

Writing in Psychology Today, psychologist Art Markman, Ph.D., says this strategy might work best when there are a few key items you need to remember. That's because the sentences you speak (or even whisper) out loud take on a distinctiveness. You remember producing and hearing the items and so your memory for them is different from the memory of the words you read silently. 

Research suggests reading on Kindle, instead of on paper, hurts your ability to remember a story's plot. Flickr/Rich Mitchell

7. Read on paper 

E-readers are convenient tools for when you want to bring a ton of books on vacation and for downloading stories in an instant. 

But research suggests that they could also undermine the strength of your memories. One study found that, when people read the same short story in a paperback or on a Kindle, the paperback readers were better able to remember the story's chronology. 

Lead study author Anne Mangen, Ph.D., told the Guardian that's possibly because the pile of pages in your hands creates a "tactile sense of progress" that you don't get from a Kindle. (Of course, it's possible that people who are more accustomed to reading online may not have this problem.) 

Meanwhile, Mangen's other research found that high-school students performed better on a test of reading comprehension when they read a text in print instead of on a computer screen. 

8. Learn unevenly 

Computer science professor Ben Y. Zhao advises against wasting time trying to memorize absolutely everything on the page. Instead, he writes, you should "learn unevenly": 

"What I mean is do not try to memorize everything equally well. Instead, focus on key concepts that underlie the others. If you focus your time on learning the most critical piece or concept, then you might be able to recall other pieces by association or logical derivation." 

9. Use 'Cornell notes' 

According to Say Keng Lee, the Cornell notes technique is "a far more superior system that the conventional outline method." 

The system breaks down into five parts, described on Cornell University's website: 

Record: Take notes on what you're reading. 

Questions: Come up with and write down questions based on your notes. 

Recite: Cover the note-taking column and try to answer the questions you generated. 

Reflect: Think more deeply about the material. 

Review: Spend at least 10 minutes a week going over your notes.

read more...

McDonalds moved from Luxembourg to the United Kingdom

McDonald's has announced its purpose to switch from Luxembourg to the UK tax primarily based outdoor america, at the same time as waging a war with regulators inside the eu Union (european) on their tax burdens. the fast food chain follows inside the footsteps of Starbucks, which in 2014 moved its headquarters from Holland to London for similar motives. It does so in complete investigation by Brussels and having diverted in the past years to stay away from taxes 2,000 million.

McDonald's has said that "the United Kingdom has selected to put in its new structure of worldwide financial society by using the widespread range of personnel in London working in worldwide business, language and its connection to different markets."

A spokesman for British prime Minister, Theresa may also, said for his component that the United Kingdom "welcomes endured funding by means of companies around the world, especially while it way strengthening boom and increase jobs" .

In overdue November, can also confirmed the purpose of his authorities to lessen company tax from 20 to 17% by means of 2020, that allows you to make the UK the G20 country with the lowest tax burden for agencies. remaining year, the ecu fee (EC) said that McDonald's has not paid actually no business enterprise tax considering 2009, notwithstanding having recorded good sized profits in Europe. In its defense, the multinational said he can pay "a huge amount of corporate tax". "In angle, from 2011 to 2015 we've paid extra than 2,500 billion greenbacks (2.325 million euros) in the european Union".

Siphoning cash

On September 21, elEconomista.es forward as McDonald's had shifted in the beyond years to Luxembourg advantages from other european subsidiaries, which includes Spanish, amounting to 2,231 million dollars (2,000 million euros at current trade quotes) .

As head of the retaining inside the Grand Duchy determine now Luxembourg McD Investments Sarl, which similarly to subsidiaries in united kingdom, France, Germany or Spain, is the last head of McDonald's Europe Franchising, the company that owns the licenses of eating places in Europe as in Russia. consistent with accounts McD Investments Luxembourg Sarl, the company entered in dividends from its subsidiaries 1,558 billion greenbacks (1.397 million euros) in 2014 and 673.five million dollars (603 million euros) in 2015.

in this regard, the enterprise has entered such dividends from the Spanish Mapel Spain totaling one hundred twenty million greenbacks (107 million euros) in the ultimate two years. remember that Spain is an instrumental Mapel agency that has in turn a hundred percent of McDonald's eating places, the company that simply manages all enterprise within the Spanish marketplace.

read more...

Pornhub is offering to buy Vine

Twitter has announced the closure of Vine, its platform microvídeos loop six seconds within the restructuring planbeing undertaken by the company and because its main creators have gone to other platforms like Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat.
However, specialized in adult content site, Pornhub, believes the video platform is still interesting to distribute content and considers that the social network could help microvídeos content distribution of the pornography industry.
Specifically, as has been told CNET , the vice president of Pornhub, Corey Price, has written a letter to the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, which makes this offer to purchase with a tone of pleasantry, which must cast doubt on a serious offer.
"We've known that Twitter has been reduced (Vine) and are producing significant layoffs, which you and your shareholders would benefit from a cash infusion from the sale of the Vine. Not to mention we'd be saving jewelry came as [creators] Damn Daniel , Awkward Puppets and many more "exposed Price.
In addition, Price also pledged to "restore the glory of Vine" yes, as content platform NSFW (not suitable for work by its acronym in English) arguing that "porn clips six seconds is more than enough for most people enjoy themselves. "
Meanwhile, the founder of Vine, Rus Yusupov, put yesterday a tweet coinciding with the announcement of closure of the social network in which it was clear: "Do not sell your company", which thus showed their displeasure at the close platform launched by Twitter in 2013.

read more...

New law in New York against Airbnb

The state of New York has positioned itself against Airbnb with the approval of a law that restricts ad apartment rentals for less than one month periods platforms.

Hours after signing it, the company has filed a federal lawsuit against the law stating that the decision will cause them "irreparable harm". And it is that the new regulation will impact directly against the accounts of the company in several ways.

On the one hand, the restriction directly affects the main market is the management company of private rental apartments. Explains The New York Times , it is estimated that Airbnb hosts generated more than 1,000 million dollars last year, of which the platform was left with a lot, as stipulated in its rules.

However, the new regulation New York could be even worse for Airbnb, as a precedent in its relationship with local authorities. And it is that the platform is in a gray area of ​​the law, which are not few cities are beginning to change their local rules to regulate its activity.

Today Airbnb has opened legal proceedings in San Francisco and Santa Monica (California) while also having problems in Amsterdam, Barcelona or Berlin, because its rental system complete apartments outside the law, which New York's decision could put them in a situation complicated viability.

"New York is taking a bold step that is expected to become a standard for the rest of the country and other countries in the world who are fighting Airbnb impact on the housing market," he explained Linda B. Rosenthal, Manhattan Democratic party assemblyman who has covered the bill.

Meanwhile, Peter Schottenfels, company spokesman explained that "as usual, Albany (the state capital) has satisfied backroom special interest in the hotel industry and ignored the voices of tens of thousands of New Yorkers."
Yes you can advertise with tenant

Although the ban on rentals in complete houses less than 30 days and was established in New York, the new law aims to make the regulations are complied and prohibits announce those apartments rent for less than 30 days through platforms such as the Airbnb mentioned, imposing fines of up to $ 7,500.

Yes they can continue advertising, among other things, renting rooms when the owner also remains in the home, which is itself allowed for periods less than one month.

read more...

The Greek real estate colapse

The mere fact that investments lost 18 bn. Euros, ie 8.2% of GDP from the building, showing the size of the market collapse real estate and construction, and is one of the main causes for the deep recession which lies total economy. Even worse is the fact that millions of Greeks see lost much of their property as the 'tile' in which they invest their savings, has largely discredited.
Characteristically, according to the Bank of Greece, since 2008, the number of purchases and sales decreased by 72%, while house prices fell by 41%, with the sharpest fall was seen in urban centers. Even this figure, however, does not reflect the truth as recorded cases of price reduction up to 60%.

Taxation in real estate has increased 6 times compared to 2010, accounting for nearly 2% of disposable income per capita. This means that the property, in addition discredited, burdened with huge taxes, so it is "Bob" for idiokiti.
Apoulita houses
In the Greek market is estimated that there are more than 200 000 unsold homes, many of which have never been inhabited, though built in 2007-2009. But even left building sites due to the inability of manufacturers to completion. As for the construction activity, declining each month by more than 30% and only the months that renovations are taking place (especially in June and July in homes and hotels) recorded an upward trend.
Within the climate of complete dissolution, experts are now sure that the "madness" period in the property market will never return. The research of PriceWaterhouseCoopers is typical. Analysts point out that there are four scenarios for the evolution of the industry.
But according to the predominant scenario for the Greek economy, GDP per capita will return to pre-crisis levels of about 2030
The balance between supply and demand in the Greek housing will occur around 2047 because of oversupply, high taxes and lack of mortgage lending.
House prices will rise slowly, with an average rate of around 0.6% annually, reaching levels of 2002 to 2008 period after 2050.
Development
Housing investment is expected to play a strong role in the development of the country over the medium term will remain well below historical levels, approximately 4.5 billion. Annually on average.
In order to restart the Greek housing market and to return to the levels of 2002-2008, a real growth of at least 3.5% per annum for a very long period of time
Mortgage lending should follow the growth of the economy in order to help stimulate demand.
Taxes on real estate must be gradually reduced in order to increase investor interest in housing.
H forecast balance of housing 2036 provides for a systematic and significant growth market while, say analysts, with low development will not balance before 2050.
Due to excess supply, house prices are expected to return to average over the period 2002-2008 at the earliest in 2042, if the economy developed rapidly.
Also, the average pace of construction of new housing is placed, depending on the growth rate between 3.2% and 9.3% per year, while the average annual investment in new dwellings is estimated to range between 2 and 10 billion. Euro. Essentially the estimate is built on average 20,000 homes with low growth and 100000 ... with high. Investments in housing are made by estimating that the average house is 94 square meters, the construction of which costs 100 thousand. Euro.
Stock 6.4m.
Interests are other survey data:
About 55% of municipal buildings in Greece are built before 1980 and approximately 13% after 2001. The stock in urban centers are newer outside of Athens and Piraeus.
In contrast to the significant expansion of nominal house prices (+ 10.7%), average real prices in Europe increased by 3% over the same period. The nominal and real house prices in Greece showed a decrease of 30%, followed by Spain.
The existing housing stock reaches the 6,4 m. Cottages and corresponds to less than 9 m. People (population over 18 years). In 2002 they represented 64 dwellings per 100 people, while in 2014, increased to 71 houses per 100 people (or 1.7 homes per family), reflecting the expansion of available housing in the period. The corresponding ratio in other countries of the sample changed residences from 55 in 2002 to 60 houses in 2014. The oversupply of housing is difficult to absorb, especially in a period of decreasing income and limited mortgage lending.
"Smother" debts
Red loans totaling 12.9 billion.
In red are due to high lending sectors of construction and real estate. According to Bank of Greece data, exposures (ie loans, bonds, etc.) of EUR 23.5 billion. Euro allocated to enterprises of these two branches, more than half (12.9 bn., 54, 9%) are recorded as non-performing exposures. 2/3 of these are loans overdue more than 90 days and katangelmena loans, while the remaining 1/3 although currently serviced normally considered to be of uncertain recovery (ie. Are more likely to display problem in the future) . Banks and companies in the sector have already entered into arrangements for loans of EUR 4.5 billion., Of which a relatively large proportion shows again a problem. For these sectors, the banks have formed accumulated provisions amounting to 6.4 billion.

read more...

Obama's role on new memorandum

New revelations about the role of the Americans in the government's decision to sign the new 2015 memorandum, come to light. According to e-mails published by the Wikileaks President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton sought to affect Greece to accept tough austerity conditions in 2015.

In the current article presents the RT and correspondence on the same subject. Recall that a few days ago had revealed the White House conversation with Mn. Clinton asking him to intervene to Alexis Tsipras to agree this with lenders.

According to a publication of the RT, the Wikileaks published correspondence of July 10, 2015 between the head of the campaign of Clinton John Podesta and the chief of staff Bill Clinton Tina Flournoy. The first e-mail the Podesta asked the Flournoy if the former president could invite the Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras.

"The White House asks me if the WJC (William Jefferson" Bill "Clinton) has relations with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the call and advise him to do a deal," says Podesta writes.

The Flournoy responded saying that Clinton would call, but that "the immediate question is -You push and Merkel? '.

Then the RT to publish his notes that "at that time Greece had decided against the measures imposed by Europe and the IMF after the global economic crisis. Greece is threatened with bankruptcy and exit from the EU after five years of austerity. Days prior to this correspondence, Tsipras told the people 'say no to ultimatums, not to blackmail.' ' The Greeks did referendum rejected the agreement on 5 July. "

The new e-mail coming to light


However, as revealed on the same day and sent another message to Greece by Amitabh Desai, Advisor on Foreign Policy Bill Clinton, addressed the chief of staff of Barack Obama Denis McDonough.

read more...

Why Greeks support Trump

Remaining three weeks longer for the presidential elections in America, that will bring to the White House and in the position of Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. While here in Greece the vast majority would like to see Hillary wins the nomination (the logic "the lesser evil, optimum"), is not the case with the Greeks living in the US.
Our expatriates will support Donald Trump and even at a rate that can reach even 80%. It may seem "crazy" for all of us who live in "mom-home" can even it is believed that the Trump would be, if he is elected, a dangerous President of the World, the Greek-Americans did not share our own fears . Quite the contrary. For about 4 million expatriate billionaire Republican candidate is the best solution.
And they have their reasons to believe that.
... The past Hillary Clinton
"As foreign minister, he never stood on the side of Greece, nor on the side of the Greek community in America." The Greeks believe that they know what they can expect from the candidate of the Democrats regarding our country and claim that the samples are not at all positive. They think that Hillary is not philhellene consider that is very close to Turkey and the Erdogan government and believe they will never support the interests of our country. "Bear in mind some of the activities of the former First Lady or the decisions and positions with respect to Greece and its national interests?"

The Latin American immigrants
The Greeks, of course, experience their own everyday life in America and consider that one of the biggest problems that exist is that of illegal immigration of Latin Americans, who spend every day the border with Mexico. Typical is the view of former President of the Federation of Greek Associations of New York, George Georgopoulos that the Greek community support the Trump because of the measures announced for illegal immigrants who are stressed as "carcinoma in the United States."
The Greek immigrants, rarely have the necessary documents and generally believe that these intentions Trump focused on Latin Americans. Indeed, according to our expatriates, they are responsible for the increase in crime in the US and in New York in particular, which indeed is the "center" of the Greeks of America. So consider that ... the gathering that the Trump promised is not only welcome, but necessary.
Taxation
What do they do, mostly, the Greeks of America? With SMEs. Have restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. One of the main arguments So come and that pushes them to choose Trump is what these elections for themselves and their businesses. The program of the Republican candidate includes favorable tax regulations for SMEs, which naturally pushes expatriates to support him. For, although they need to think the "mom home," maybe the entire planet, but who it is that when he goes to the polls without thinking and ... pocket?

Another reason why the Greeks finally choose Donald Trump is that, no matter how far they are, they still are ... Greeks. It was an overwhelming majority that lives and walks with the principles and beliefs that existed in our country when they emigrated, that even 40 years back. For example, the community all older is "uncles" and "aunts", even when there is absolutely no affinity. You will often hear opinions like "the woman is good to stay home and grow children", which coincides perfectly with the beliefs of Donald Trump. The fact that the Democrats have a candidate woman, is one reason, important for many, that makes them turn to the Republican millionaire.
But even those who now have overcome such kind of beliefs, keep cautious attitude to American SMEs, which do not trust. The "war" who believe that the Trump receives, makes many believe that we should do the opposite of that in the ... indicated.

Beyond everything else, the Greek immigrants who went to America and managed to find their feet in difficult conditions (something that happened in the largest percentage of expatriates), they see the face of the tramp ... the reward of their own race.
The fact that this is a successful entrepreneur is another "plus" in the list "is a millionaire, that is proven successful and crafty ..." say features, explaining why they support him on November 8.
These then are the main reasons that the majority of expatriates will support Donald Trump. Naturally clear that as electoral power, the Greeks in America, they can not seriously affect the outcome.

read more...

Conflict senarios for USA-Russia

"The clash of superpowers," was the title chosen by Der Spiegel to the latest issue of, in front of which is dominated by pictures of two roughened presidents, Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama, background ruins of the martyr Aleppo. The section of the German magazine, in fact, hit it fell to the situation, as the hours just was going to press, the confrontation between Russians and Americans seemed to escalate unchecked and dangerous. Besides, this is why Tuesday, another German document, the newspaper Die Welt, he made his own tribute to "New Cold War between the US and Russia," even putting directly the question "In what part is the Germany? "-which, if nothing else, shows concern for further intensification, which will force everyone to choose camps.

Indeed, the image that dominates the last time the planet is (cold) war, giving the impression that -kapos and in some way- it is almost time of the cleansing of the accounts between the US and Russia, both old and new. In other words, between the stable and by far strongest superpower and the country which seems determined to recover and to safeguard some of the glamor of the Soviet era. Undoubtedly, the political uncertainty in Washington because of the upcoming presidential elections and different perceptions expressing Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for relations with Putin, creates fertile ground for "hot events" or even generalized conflict.

The threat directly expressed publicly the deputy Prime Minister of a country directly involved in the Syrian civil war, Turkey. The world "is on the verge of a major regional or global war," he said, making it clear that the "war by proxy" between the US and Russia can develop into direct conflict, before you understand it and managed to prevent such a development.

It could certainly be argued that "dog that barks does not bite," but that the attacks conducted on both sides are more verbal and have to do with domestic consumption. Unfortunately, developments in various war fronts refute those optimistic and cause legitimate concerns for the next day. Much more as the "barking" is accompanied by actions that many considered definitively belong to the dustbin of history -as nuclear threat, which came back to the surface with Putin's decision to suspend the destruction of enriched plutonium and "leaks" from the side partners.

The strongest argument, however, is in favor of the opinion that the worst days we do not have even seen is that traditionally, the war was the continuation of politics by other means, when she was unable to give convincing and viable solutions to major problems and antagonisms. Unfortunately, the multifaceted crisis facing humanity today has been shown, in many cases, it can no longer be treated with conventional means.

John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov, who met today in Lausanne, is experienced enough to know it and not to put up the bar ...

Raging cyber

Donald Trump has expressed his respect (if not admiration) in the person of Vladimir Putin. By contrast, Hillary Clinton has pledged to pursue a hard line against the Russian leader if elected US president. So if anything, it is plausible the allegations made by the partners of the former First Lady and Secretary of State for 'underground cooperation "of the rival camp to Moscow to get released secret files of Wikileaks to expose it, and intercept of mail millions of members and supporters of the Democratic Party by Russian hackers.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg of a war that has already begun, but few understand it. This conflict of Americans and Russians on the Internet, where new powerful weapons tested offered by technological development and information technology, which, even without the sound of the explosion or filled neighborhoods dead and wounded, can bring equally catastrophic results. Their aim is infrastructure and all the sensitive areas of the enemy and not a few experts and analysts who argue that the Third World War will take place mainly in this front-where, of course, except for the Americans and the Russians, active and Chinese ...

read more...