National University Launches Blockchain Initiative to Make Academic Records More Accessible to Learners and Employers – Yahoo Finance

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After a year that most of us want to forget, 2021 is shaping up to start with stability and an even keel. The election is safely behind us, the new Biden Administration promises a no drama approach, a closely divided and hyper-partisan Congress is unlikely to enact any sweeping legislation, reform or otherwise, and COVID vaccines are ready for distribution. Its a recipe for a calm news cycle.Which makes it a perfect time to buy into the stock market. Investors can read the tea leaves, or study the data whatever their preferred mode of stock analysis and use this period of calm to make rational choices on the stock moves. Using the TipRanks database, weve pulled up three stocks that present a bullish case. All three meet a profile that should interest value investors. They hold unanimous Strong Buy consensus ratings, along with a perfect 10 from the Smart Score. That score, a unique measure, evaluates a stock based on 8 factors with a proven high correlation to future overperformance. A 10 score indicates a strong likelihood that the stock will rise in the coming year. And finally, all three of these stocks present with double-digit upside potentials, indicating that they are still undervalued.UMH Properties (UMH)Well start in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector, with UMH Properties. This company, which started out after WWII in the mobile home industry, later become the premier builder of manufactured housing. Today, UMH owns and manages a portfolio of 124 manufactured housing communities, spread across 8 states in the Northeast and Midwest, and totaling well over 23,000 units. As a REIT, UMH has benefitted from the nature of manufactured houses as affordable options in the housing market. UMH both sells the manufactured homes to residents, while leasing the plots on which the properties stand, and leases homes to residents. The companys same-property income, a key metric, showed 8.6% year-over-year increase in the third quarter.Also in the third quarter, UMH reported a 16% yoy increase in top line revenue, showing $43.1 million compared to $37.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Funds from Operations, another key metric in the REIT sector, came in at 11 cents per share, down from 14 cents in 3Q19. The decrease came as the company redeemed $2.9 million in Series B Preferred Stock.REITs are required to return income to shareholders, and UMH accomplishes this with a reliable dividend and a high yield of 4.7%. The payment, at 18 cents per common share, is paid quarterly and has been held stable for over a decade.Compass Point analyst Merrill Ross believes the company is in a sound position to create value for both households and shareholders."We believe that UMH has proven that it can bring attractive, affordable housing to either renters or homeowners more efficiently than has been possible with vertical rental housing. As UMH improves its cost of funds, it can compete more effectively with other MH community owners in the public and private realms, and because it has a successful formula to turn around undermanaged communities, we think that UMH can consolidate privately-owned properties over the next few years to build on its potential for value creation," Ross opined.To this end, Ross rates UMH a Buy, and her $20 price target implies a 25% one-year upside. (To watch Rosss track record, click here)Overall, the unanimous Strong Buy on UMH is based on 5 recent reviews. The stock is selling for $15.92, and the $18.40 average price target suggests it has room for 15% growth from that level. (See UMH stock analysis on TipRanks)Laird Superfood (LSF)Laird Superfood is a newcomer to the stock markets, having gone public just this past September. The company manufactures and markets a range of plant-based, nutrient-dense food additives and snacks, and is most known for its line of specialized non-dairy coffee creamers. Laird targets customers looking to add nutrition and an energy boost to their diet.Since its September IPO, the company has reported Q3 earnings. Revenue was strong, at $7.6 million, beating the forecast by over 26% and coming in 118% above the year-ago figure. The company also reported a 115% yoy growth in online sales. Ecommerce now makes up 49% of the companys net sales no surprise during the corona year.The review on the stock comes from Robert Burleson, a 5-star analyst from Canaccord. Burleson reiterates his bullish position, saying, We continue to view LSF as an attractive platform play on strong demand trends for plant-based, functional foods, noting LSFs competitively differentiated omni-channel approach and ingredients ethos. Over time, we expect LSF to be able to leverage its brand and vertically integrated operation into success in a broad range of plant-based categories, driving outsized top-line growth and healthy margin expansion.Burleson rates LSF shares a Buy alongside a $70 price target. This figure indicates his confidence in ~63% growth on the one-year horizon. (To watch Burlesons track record, click here)Laird has not attracted a lot of analyst attention, but those who have reviewed the stock agree with Burlesons assessment. LSF has a unanimous Strong Buy analyst consensus rating, based on 3 recent reviews. The stocks $62.33 average price target suggests room for ~39% upside in the coming year. (See LSF stock analysis on TipRanks)TravelCenters of America (TA)Last but not least is TravelCenters of America, a major name in the transportation sector. TravelCenters owns, operates, and franchises full-service highway rest stops across the US an important niche in a country that relies heavily on long-haul trucking, and in which private car ownership has long encouraged the road trip mystique. TAs network of rest stops offers travelers convenience stores and fast-food restaurants in addition to gasoline and diesel fuel and the expected amenities.The corona crisis has been hard time for TA, as lockdown regulations put a damper on travel. The companys revenues bottomed out in Q2, falling to $986 million, but rose 28% sequentially to hit $1.27 billion in Q3. EPS, at 61 cents, was also strong, and showed impressive 165% year-over-year growth. These gains came as the economy started reopening and with air travel still restricted, automobiles become the default for long distance, a circumstance that benefits TravelCenters. Covering TravelCenters for BTIG is analyst James Sullivan, who rates the stock a Buy, and his $40 price target suggests a 22% upside over the coming year. (To watch Sullivans track record, click here)Backing his stance, Sullivan noted, "TA is in the process of moving on from a series of unsuccessful initiatives under the prior management team. The current new management team has strengthened the balance sheet and intends to improve operations through both expense cuts and revenue-generating measures which should boost margins [...] While we expect the 2020 spend to be focused on non-revenue generating maintenance and repair items, we expect in 2021 and beyond that higher spending should generate good ROI All in all, TravelCenters shares get a unanimous thumbs up, with 3 Buys backing the stocks Strong Buy consensus rating. Shares sell for $32.87, and the average price target of $38.33 suggests an upside potential of ~17%. (See TA stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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National University Launches Blockchain Initiative to Make Academic Records More Accessible to Learners and Employers - Yahoo Finance

Binance Partners with Fintech focused Blockchain Firm Chiliz to Offer Fan Tokens for Teams like FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Others – Crowdfund…

Binance, the worlds largest digital asset exchange, has partnered with a Fintech-focused blockchain firm, called Chiliz, which provides various sports and entertainment services.

Binance, which claims it was an early investor in Chiliz, has now extended the partnership with additional investments which will focus on the Fintech sports space. As noted in the announcement, the first milestone of the initiative will be Fan Tokens allocation via the Binance Launchpool.

As mentioned in a release:

Chiliz operates Socios.com, a fan influence and rewards platform, which has partnerships with [various] sporting [organizations] in the world including football teams FC Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Galatasaray, AS Roma & Atletico de Madrid; Esports teams OG and NAVI, and the UFC.

The Socios platform is powered by a utility token, called $CHZ. Socios is reportedly one of the most active non-financial, consumer-facing mainstream blockchain products in the world.

The Socios software has been downloaded over 370,000 times, over 14 million Fan Tokens have reportedly been sold, and more than 700,000 votes have been registered on the blockchain.

As confirmed by Binance:

FC Barcelonas ($BAR) Fan Token Offering sold out in 20 minutes, generating $1.3m, whilst Turkish team Trabzonspors FTO generated 5 million TRY in less than 5 minutes.

The exchange further noted that with Binance Launchpool, traders and investors can acquire new digital token rewards in exchange for staking different tokens.

Binance added:

The first Socios.com partners to benefit from Binance LaunchPool will be Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Italian champions Juventus (JUV) Fan Tokens. Users will be able to stake BNB, BUSD, or CHZ tokens into separate pools, starting from 2020/12/15 at 0:00 AM (UTC) to 2021/1/14 at 0:00 AM (UTC).

The Binance team confirmed that the exchange will then be listing Paris Saint-Germain Fan Tokens (PSG) and Juventus Fan Tokens (JUV) in the innovation zone, beginning at 2020/12/21 6:00 AM (UTC) and open trading for PSG/BTC, PSG/USDT, PSG/BUSD, JUV/BTC, JUV/USDT and JUV/BUSD trading pairs.

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao remarked:

Chiliz became a part of the crypto world through Fan Tokens, which has shown huge potential in bringing crypto to mainstream audiences all around the world. Were delighted to welcome Chiliz to the Binance ecosystem and look forward to empowering both fan engagement and crypto adoption among a captive audience of billions.

Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO and Founder at Chiliz, noted that Binance has been a supporter of the company since its launch. However, this recent partnership supports their original goal of tokenizing the sports and entertainment sector in the coming years. Dreyfus claims that in only three years, theyve established their organization as the leading force in this space, but this partnership gives us renewed strength and credibility to create the leading global fan engagement and monetization ecosystem.

Dreyfus added:

Chiliz aims to onboard many more partners from the worlds of sports and entertainment over the next few years. With new features, gamification, leaderboards and (non-fungible token) NFT-based events being released in the coming weeks, Socios.com is the leading venture in this space. While Socios.com is the utility platform, $CHZ the apps exclusive currency is the utility token that sits between hundreds of thousands of branded digital assets.

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Binance Partners with Fintech focused Blockchain Firm Chiliz to Offer Fan Tokens for Teams like FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Others - Crowdfund...

Overstocks tZero, Blockchain And Trading: An Interview With tZero CEO Saum Noursalehi – Forbes

Close-up of One dollar bill and blockchain code. Cryptocurrency, digital money concept.

Based in Utah, the division of Overstock OSTK known as tZero has blockchain-style trading attracting the interest of the cryptocurrency community and other sectors. To find out more, I talked to CEO Saum Noursalehi:

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John Navin: Saum, to begin with, whats the meaning of the word tZero?

Saum Noursalehi: Current public financial markets run on a t+2 (trade date+ two business days) to settle transactions. In the much more manual private markets it can take weeks or even months to settle a transaction.

The t0/tZERO name comes from the fact that on our platform private security transactions settle the same day, and in the near future, will settle in near real-time.

Navin: I read that tZero is "a FINRA member broker-dealer which operates an SEC-registered Alternative Trading System that facilitates the trading of digital securities." Could you elaborate on that? What's the meaning of "alternative trading system?"

Noursalehi: An alternative trading system, or ATS, is similar to a stock exchange. The ATS is the platform that houses the assets, similar to how companies list on Nasdaq NDAQ or NYSE. In order to trade the assets on our ATS, broker-dealers need to subscribe, or plug-in to the ATS, allowing their customers to trade our digital securities.

We also own and operate a retail broker-dealer, tZERO Markets, which went live in October. tZERO Markets subscribes to the ATS, allowing Markets users to trade the digital securities on the ATS. In addition, we work with third-party broker-dealers, such as D.A. Davidson, which are subscribed to the ATS. Seven broker-dealers in total are subscribed to the tZERO ATS.

Navin: What's the connection between blockchain and the trading of illiquid securities?

Noursalehi: Private assets are more challenging to transact than public securities, due to the various trading restrictions that exist (e.g., accredited vs. non-accredited investors, lockup windows, etc).

There tends to be a lot of compliance work involved, fees are relatively high and as a result, liquidity is limited. Through blockchain technology, specifically smart contract technology, we are able to automate much, if not all, of the compliance work.

For example, securities that trade on our platform are reg-aware. Built into the software of the shares are all the rules and regulations of trading that specific asset. For example, can both accredited and non-accredited investors trade, which geographies are allowed to trade, if new investors are allowed into the cap table, or if they want to limit liquidity to just existing investors, etc.

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Navin: What features and benefits would you say make tZero different from competitors?

Noursalehi: tZero offers companies and investors ongoing liquidity. Trading shares of private assets on our platform is similar to how you would trade shares of Apple AAPL and Tesla TSLA . We operate an order management system with associated tickers and bid/ask prices.

Virtually all of our competitors offer one-off liquidity through a bulletin-board approach. Essentially, they have a specific tranche of equity in a specific company available. Once that equity is sold, it is no longer available (unless they have multiple tranches of equity at the same company available).

Transactions on the platform are facilitated by a physical broker, come with large fees (5% - 10%, versus tZEROs 1%), and can take a month-plus to close. Transacting on our competitors platform is similar to buying and selling real estate.

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Navin: tZero started out as a part of Overstock. What's the current relationship between your company and Overstock?

Noursalehi: Overstock currently owns roughly 80% of tZERO (the balance is primarily owned by current and former employees).

Overstock daily price chart, 12 16 20.

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Navin: tZero raised 134 million dollars in an initial coin offering in late 2017. The SEC in March, 2018 asked Overstock about certain issues involving that offering and the tokens. What was the resolution of the inquiry?

Noursalehi We completed a security token offering (STO) and not an initial coin offering. There are several differences, however, the most notable is that STOs are regulated. They register with the SEC and are facilitated through certain exemptions (Reg A, Reg D, etc.). ICOs on the other hand, are unregulated.

The SEC engaged many companies that conducted STOs and ICOs around that time frame. We provided them with all of the requested information, and we have not heard back. Given how long ago this inquiry began, we are working with them to have this inquiry closed.

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Navin: Where are the security tokens involved?

Noursalehi:Not sure I understand what you mean?The tZERO ATS currently has three digital securities available for trading on the tZERO ATS: TZROP (tZEROs preferred equity), OSTKO (Overstocks Digital Voting Series A-1 Preferred Stock), and ASPD (Aspen Digital Inc.s equity).

We are in discussions with approximately 200 prospective issuers, a number of which are in later-stage discussions. We expect to have more assets trading on the platform in the near future.

Navin: Tynton Capital in October arranged a $300 million dollar offering to digitize and trade a tZero proposed "digital infrastructure fund." What's the status of that arrangement?

Noursalehi: We recently signed the tokenization agreement and expect that asset to trade sometime next year. Tynton Capital is in the process of raising capital for this fund.

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Navin: Could you describe the app for digital trading that tZero has developed? Is it now available? Besides cryptocurrencies, what else could be traded on the app?

Noursalehi:Our vision is to provide a one-stop-shop for trading all types of assets. Everything from private digital securities, to cryptocurrencies, to traditional NMS stocks like Apple. We launched tZERO Markets in late October this year. and currently, it is only available via our website.

We are working on a merged mobile app and web experience for trading digital assets and cryptocurrencies in the near future. Following this merge, we plan to add NMS securities to the trading experience.

Navin: As an individual close to the crypto market, what are your thoughts on its future for example, vis a vis other investments such as the dollar or gold?

Noursalehi: You will see more and more institutional money (pension funds, mutual funds, etc.) enter the space, allocating an increasing portion of their assets under management to cryptocurrencies.

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Youve seen it already in some earlier movers, such as the Harvard Endowment fund, but I believe we will see a much bigger move in the next 12 to 18 months, which further legitimizes and validates the space.

I do not hold positions in these investments.No recommendations are made one way or the other.If you're an investor, you'd want to look much deeper into each of these situations. You can lose money trading or investing in stocks and other instruments. Always do your own independent research, due diligence and seek professional advice from a licensed investment advisor.

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Overstocks tZero, Blockchain And Trading: An Interview With tZero CEO Saum Noursalehi - Forbes

HIVE Blockchain Technologies Picking Up Momentum – Seeking Alpha

source: company website

HIVE Blockchain Technologies Ltd. (OTCQX:HVBTF) has been on a tear over the last month, soaring during that time after a period of consolidation from October 12 to November 16.

To give you an idea of how strong the move has been, at the end of 2019 the company was trading as low as $0.05 per share.

Interestingly, while it primarily mines Ethereum, it has move closer in conjunction with the price movement of Bitcoin. Ethereum has traded on a more steady and consistent upward trajectory than Bitcoin over the year, while HIVE Blockchain traded flat during some of the times Ethereum kept moving up in price.

In this article we'll look at some of HIVE's numbers, what it's doing to improve its efficiencies, and a couple of ways to trade the stock while removing some of the risk from the volatile security.

The company generated $12.99 million in revenue from digital currency mining in the quarter, up 8 percent year-over-year. GAAP EPS finished the reporting period at $9.2 million, $0.03 per share, a strong improvement over the loss of $11.5 million, or $0.04 per share year-over-year.

Gross mining margin was at 71 percent. HIVE had an adjusted EBITDA of $10.6 million, against the loss of $4.6 million last year in the same quarter. Management stated that was primarily the result of lower operational costs.

As of September 30, 2020, the company had a net cash position of $1.7 million minus loans payables. Assets associated with digital currencies was at $10.7 million. Working capital stood at $20.9 million as of September 30, 2020

An interesting outcome in 2020 for HIVE has been that it has more closely followed the price of Bitcoin than Ethereum. That's important to take into consideration if you're trading the stock in a shorter time frame, where the stock price could surprise you if you're relying solely on the price movement of Ethereum.

In the quarter the company mined 88,300 Ethereum Classic, 32,800 Ethereum, and 89 Bitcoin.

Interim Executive Chairman of HIVE Frank Holmes, said this:

We've been able to drive down costs, which has led to the highest cash flow in any one quarter since HIVE went public three years ago. This, coupled with higher Ethereum and crypto prices, means that the Company is doing better now than ever before.

Concerning energy costs, Holmes added that the company "recently locked in 50% of our energy costs for calendar 2021 at 1.6 cents per kilowatt hour in Sweden. This data point is one of the lowest in the blockchain mining ecosystem..."

Ethereum price pattern vs. Bitcoin

As I mentioned above, the share price of HIVE Blockchain Technologies moved closer in alignment with the price of Bitcoin than it did with the price of Ethereum.

Ethereum's price movement was cleaner than Bitcoin's, in that its upward trajectory was more consistent than Bitcoin. From May 8, 2020 till the end of October, the share price of HIVE consolidated, trading, for the most part flat. In early November it started making a modest upward move, and on November 17 it started to soar, jumping from about $0.40 per share to $1.4183 per share at the close of December 15.

On May 8, 2020, Ethereum was trading between $211 and $212, and by November 17 had climbed to $483. It was trading at $584 as I write on December 15.

As for Bitcoin, it was trading at about $9829, and by November 17 was at around $17,687. On December 15 it traded higher than $19,500. The point of these numbers is to confirm that the company's share price was trading more in align with Bitcoin than Ethereum, especially during the period from May to the end of October. Again, that's important to be aware of for those trading in and out of the stock because Bitcoin had a prolonged period of consolidation where it traded relatively flat while Ethereum was more steady in its price gains.

This isn't as important for those that are holding HIVE long, but for day traders and swing traders it's definitely a factor.

Two ways to play HIVE

As you've probably gathered from my comments above, I think trading HIVE in the short term is a better play at this time, as the price of Bitcoin and Ethereum has soared, and it's highly probable there'll be a correction in the not-too-distant future.

For those holding long I'm not suggesting to sell, but for those trading the stock, it would be easy to get left holding the bag if you aren't being careful. Another reminder I've made in the past concerning cryptocurrency miners, is that the market never sleeps with them, so holding over night is a huge risk you should be aware of. Let's face it. Trading during normal hours is work enough, or at times in pre-market or after hours. To be watching the price of cryptocurrencies 24/7 doesn't make for a desirable way to live. It's also why we shouldn't take too large of a position in them.

Another reason to trade these stocks for a short period of time is their volatility, Just about every day they'll make a nice dip, which makes for a decent entry point. That pattern is very predictable, but you do have to be aware that many times they'll drop farther than you think, and the return can be fairly small if you get in too early.

Those are things to consider when looking for a day trade.

For the swing trader, the way to play it and sleep at night is to wait for a big correction in the price. I've done that a number of times, and even if I get in in the middle of a big drop and it drops a lot further, I have confidence it'll rebound...and in my experience they do.

The downside there is it ties up capital that could be allocated somewhere else. Even so, the potential reward is high as well, which usually makes the risk worth it. I know it's tempting to take a big position in a stock like HIVE because of the potential upside, but I wouldn't do that myself. If you believe Bitcoin and Ethereum are going a lot higher, it doesn't require a huge percentage of your available capital to make some money.

Once thing I've done is trade some of these stocks in the short term to build up my capital position, and from there I have increased my position based upon the money I made from them; that way I'm playing with more of the house's money, and at worst would lose a small amount of my original investment capital.

Conclusion

HIVE Blockchain Technologies has been getting more efficient by lowering energy costs, while at the same time riding the wave of rising Ethereum prices, and to a much lesser degree, Bitcoin prices.

Over the last year the share price of HIVE has traded closer to Bitcoin than Ethereum, so investors or traders need to watch both prices when considering taking a position in the company.

While I obviously don't know for sure, looking at the price movement of Bitcoin and Ethereum, and seeing some of the price points they've struggled to break through, the longer it can't break above $20,000 in the case of Bitcoin, the more apt we are to get a significant pullback in the price, which would have a direct impact on the share price of Ethereum and HIVE.

I've been moving out of HIVE and other companies operating in the space for that reason. As a consequence I've missed some fairly nice upward moves, but I am taking positions in HIVE and others in order to make money. In order to do that we must trade with some fear, ready to get out of the trade quickly if it goes against us.

For now I've been making smaller percentages of gains on HIVE lately, while waiting for what I think will be an inevitable pullback. What happens if Bitcoin in particular does blow past $20,000? My outlook hasn't changed. It will eventually correct, even if it's from a higher position.

The key is to be patient, take small gains, build up your trading account, and wait for the big corrections where you can make the really good money. Those are the times I feel more comfortable holding for longer because over time, I believe Ethereum and Bitcoin will continue to increase in price, and HIVE will rise with them, although it will do so with a lot of volatility.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in HVBTF over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

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HIVE Blockchain Technologies Picking Up Momentum - Seeking Alpha

Roxe Ties with N2Xpress for Blockchain-Based Remittance Pilot – Finance Magnates

Roxe, the Apifiny-developed payments clearing and settlement network, announced on Thursday its partnership with N2Xpress for piloting remittance services to beneficiaries in Nigeria and India.

This move, according to the company, is its step to enter the major remittance markets. The Roxe network currently supports the US dollar and local fiats from Nigeria, Egypt, Turkey, India, the Philippines, Mexico and Brazil.

The US to Nigeria and US to India are large, important remittance growth markets for us as Roxe leads the payments industry shift from a traditional account model to a new blockchain-enabled paradigm, Roxes CEO, Haohan Xu said.

Though blockchain is only a decade old, it is seen as a useful technology for cross-border payments. Many companies are trying to tap the remittance industry, making it more efficient with blockchain.

Todays international payment and remittance systems are too slow, too expensive and too unreliable. Our partnership with N2Xpress can enable Roxe customers to send remittances much faster, cheaper and more reliably to these new markets, Xu added.

FTX Selects Capitalise.ai to Provide New Standard of Trading ExperienceGo to article >>

As Finance Magnates reported earlier, Apifiny launched Roxe in June and the network empowers banks, payment and remittance companies to get the speed and cost benefits of crypto-powered settlement without having to transact directly with any cryptocurrency.

On the other hand, N2Xpress is already offering remittance services in several major markets. It will further test the requirements to potentially become a supernode on Roxe Chain.

Our partnership with Roxe reflects our ongoing commitment to providing the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective remittance services to all of our customers, N2Xpress Founder, Kunbi Oguneye said.

Our mission is to make money transfers more meaningful for families and individuals living between countries, so they can save more and do more. Our partnership with Roxe will allow us to advance our mission even further.

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Roxe Ties with N2Xpress for Blockchain-Based Remittance Pilot - Finance Magnates

Jaguar Land Rover invests in blockchain tech firm – Energy Live News – Energy Made Easy

Jaguar Land Rover has invested in blockchain technology company Circulor as part of its efforts to trace a sustainable supply chain.

The investment, made through its venture capital and mobility services arm InMotion, will enable the car manufacturer to source premium materials with greater transparency from origin to supplier, in addition to assessing the carbon footprint of its supply network.

Circulor already uses blockchain to boost the traceability of minerals used for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

The technology uses a combination of GPS, biometrics and QR codes to digitally verify the movement of raw materials at every step of the process.

Sebastian Peck, Managing Director of InMotion Ventures said: This investment is further evidence of Jaguar Land Rovers commitment to improving the sustainability of its supply chain around the globe and will help authentically trace raw materials from origin to supplier, eventually to vehicle.

The implementation of blockchain technology provides a great opportunity to make a systemic change in supply chain compliance, not just for the automotive world but for other industries, too.

If you enjoyed this story you can sign up to our weekly email forEnergy Live News and if youre interested in hearing more about the journey to net zero by 2050, you can also sign up to thefuture Net Zeronewsletter.

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Jaguar Land Rover invests in blockchain tech firm - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

University of Alabama Teams Up with Chainalysis to Offer Crypto and Blockchain Training Courses – Crowdfund Insider

The University of Alabama is teaming up with Chainalysis, a provider of compliance and investigation software of virtual currency transactions. Through the partnership, both organizations will aim to offer cutting-edge education and training for students.

Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis noted in a blog post that it will provide access to its software and training programs which have reportedly been developed by instructional design and training experts for integration into a course offered through the UA Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

According to Chainalysis, students will be learning about the role of cryptocurrencies in the financial system and criminal transactions. Theyll also develop an understanding of the principles of the underlying blockchain or distributed ledger technologies (DLT) that underpins virtual currencies.

Students who manage to do well in the class will be able to take tests and get certified in Chainalysis software, which is extensively used by financial institutions, government departments and law enforcement agencies. Students who obtain a certification will be considered subject matter experts in cryptocurrency and blockchain or DLT analysis, and will be able to perform and lead cryptocurrency tracking and tracing for companies or government organizations, the announcement noted.

UA is notably the first higher education institution to form this type of partnership with Chainalysis.

Dr. Diana Dolliver, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal justice who will be teaching these courses, remarked:

There are not nearly enough individuals with this skillset, so the students who successfully complete the course and obtain the certifications will be extremely sought after by companies and government agencies for employment. No other students in the world currently have this opportunity offered at The University of Alabama.

Dolliver is serving as the Academic Director for the Joint Electronic Crimes Task Force at UA and is responsible for training and working with law enforcement officials on cases involving cybercrime.

Even smaller, domestic police departments come across virtual currencies as, for example, controlled substances might be found with a suspected dealer, Chainalysis noted. However, there might not be cash present or a way to trace the movement of funds to keep the investigation going, the blockchain firm explained.

Dolliver added:

Theres a major component of criminal investigations that can be missing. As criminal activity continues to move to this digital currency realm, more people are needed who can identify and trace the money in this cryptocurrency form.

Jason Bonds, Chief Revenue Officer at Chainalysis, remarked:

Chainalysis is excited to partner with UA to make cryptocurrency education available to students interested in the future of crime and investigations. Government agencies, cryptocurrency businesses, and financial institutions need talent to ensure the future of finance grows safely and securely.

The course is scheduled for this spring semester as a special topics course. However, it will be ingrained in the curriculum as part of the cyber criminology minor thats housed in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, which draws students studying business management information systems and computer science, Dolliver confirmed. (Note: for more details, check here.)

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University of Alabama Teams Up with Chainalysis to Offer Crypto and Blockchain Training Courses - Crowdfund Insider

Riot Blockchain Announces 8 MW Pilot Project to Evaluate Latest Generation Immersion Module Technology and Innovative Energy Strategies in Texas -…

Enigmas 3MW BTC Mining ContainerEnigmas 3MW BTC Mining Container

Castle Rock, Colorado, Dec. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CASTLE ROCK, Colo., December 14, 2020 Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) ("Riot" or the "Company"), one of the few Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining companies in the United States, announces an 8 megawatt (MW) pilot project to assess the potential for higher productivity and lower cost mining opportunities in Texas. Riot has teamed up with two leading-edge technology companies, Enigma Digital Assets AG (Enigma) and Lancium, LLC (Lancium) to launch the pilot project. The pilot project has the unique dual focus of evaluating Enigmas next-generation immersion technology to increase mining productivity, in addition to evaluating Lanciums Smart Response software to reduce energy costs.

Bitcoin mining is about scale, low-cost infrastructure and ultra low-cost electricity, stated Michael McNamara, CEO of Lancium. Enigmas innovative solutions appear to offer a very meaningful improvement on installed cost and productivity. Lanciums power-ramping and trading expertise perfectly complements this by delivering an innovative solution to provide the pilot project with low-cost, optimized electricity.

Our new mining modules are amoung the worlds most powerful, efficient and heat-resilient solutions for mining Bitcoin, said Jakov Dolic, Co-Founder of Enigma. Large economies of scale allows rapid ROI, and resilience to heat enhances operating performace in hotter climates, especially where powered with low-cost electricity. We are extremely excited to launch this relationship with Riot and Lancium.

We are pleased to announce the pilot project and look forward to advancing the Companys relationships with Lancium and Enigma, said Jeff McGonegal, CEO of Riot. Enigmas immersion modules provide significant potential benefits and Lanciums Smart Response software helps miners reduce their cost of power by being opportunistic in the local energy market. When combined, both technologies have the potential to reduce Riots bitcoin production costs, increase hashrates and significantly extend the life of the Companys bitcoin mining ASICs.

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During the pilot project, Lancium will provide 8 MW of power for the pilot project. The initial 3 MW will be dedicated to a current-generation Enigma immersion module, for use with S19-Pro ASIC miners. A further 5 MW will be made available for Enigmas next-generation immersion module solution, which is currently in final development and expected to be available in early 2021 for the pilot project. This next-generation immersion module solution involves proprietary ASIC chips and an entirely new cooling solution. Both modules are the first of their kind from Enigma. Riot will control the pilot project with Enigma providing the immersion containers and Lancium licensing its Smart Response software.

The pilot project represents the first Controllable Load Resource in the Houston Load zone, with the energization of the facility planned for Q1 2021. If successful, Riot may seek to expand upon the pilot project at larger-scale sites.

XMS Capital Partners, LLC acted as a financial advisor to Riot Blockchain in connection with the transaction.

About Riot Blockchain

Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT) specializes in cryptocurrency mining with a focus on bitcoin. Riot also holds non-controlling investments in blockchain technology companies. Riot is headquartered in Castle Rock, Colorado, and the Company's primary mining facility is located in Massena, New York under a colocation agreement with Coinmint. For more information, visit http://www.RiotBlockchain.com.

About Enigma

Enigma is a technology company creating unique hardware and software solutions for large scale, industrial Bitcoin mining. At 3MW per 40 feet container, Enigmas mining modules have amoung the world's highest power and hashrate density. Next generation Enigma modules are designed to potentially set new performance records in early 2021 with a power density of 6MW per 40 feet container. Enigma is based in Switzerland and produces hardware at its factory in Nuremberg, Germany, under multiple patents pending and in process.

About Lancium

Lancium is a technology company creating software and intellectual property solutions that enable more renewable energy on the nations power grid. Lanciums products include Lancium Smart Response for rapid server power management, and Lancium Compute, a platform for high throughput computing applications. Lanciums solutions help ensure that renewable energy can power our future. Lancium has several issued patents and numerous applications pending http://www.lancium.com.

LANCIUM, LANCIUM SMART RESPONSE, and LANCIUM COMPUTE are trademarks of Lancium, LLC.

About XMS Capital Partners

XMS Capital Partners, established in 2006, is a global, independent financial services firm providing investment banking, asset management and merchant banking services to clients. It has offices in Chicago, London and Boston. XMS provides Involvement Banking, which goes beyond transaction-oriented investment banking and focuses on delivering objective, value-added advice and custom tailored solutions to help clients achieve their strategic goals. It consistently creates value for its clients by giving them access to comprehensive, independent M&A, strategic advisory, financial restructuring, capital structure advisory and private capital advisory expertise. XMS Capital Partners, LLC is a FINRA member and SIPC member. For more information, please visit http://www.xmscapital.com.

Safe Harbor

The information provided in this press release may include forward-looking statements relating to future events or the future financial performance of the Company. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "potential," "hope" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release relating to the Company may be found in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the sections entitled "Risk Factors," copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

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Riot Blockchain Announces 8 MW Pilot Project to Evaluate Latest Generation Immersion Module Technology and Innovative Energy Strategies in Texas -...

Why Riot Blockchain, Overstock And Marathon Patent Are Trading Higher Today – Benzinga

Bitcoin hit a new all-time on Wednesday, topping the $20,000 level for the first time and in turn has lifted a number of crypto-related stocks.

Riot Blockchain (NASDAQ: RIOT) is focused on building, supporting and operating blockchain technologies. Distributed blockchain technology is a decentralized and encrypted ledger that is designed to offer a secure, efficient, verifiable and permanent way of storing records and other information without the need for intermediaries.

Riot Blockchains stock traded up 8.74% at $11.07 per share at the time of publication. The stock has a 52-week high of $11.66 and a 52-week low of 51 cents.

Marathon Patent (NASDAQ: MARA) focuses on mining digital assets. It owns crypto-currency mining machines and a data center to mine digital assets. The company operates in the Digital Currency Blockchain segment and its crypto-currency machines are located in Canada.

Marathon Patent shares were trading up 17.11% at $8.28. The stock has a 52-week high of $8.85 and a 52-week low of 35 cents.

Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSTK) is a U.S.-based online retailer that provides products and services through websites. The company offers a broad range of products. The home and garden product line accounts for a material part of its total revenue.

Overstock shares were trading up 3.37% at $63.75. The stock has a 52-week high of $128.50 and a 52-week low of $2.53.

MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) is a provider of enterprise analytics and mobility software. It offers MicroStrategy Analytics platform that delivers reports and dashboards and enables users to conduct ad hoc analysis and share insights through mobile devices or the Web.

MicroStrategys stock traded up 6.36% at $303.98. The stock has a 52-week high of $358.94 and a 52-week low of $90.

2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Blockchain Research Institutes Alex Tapscott on stablecoins, DeFi and more – Forkast News

Welcome to Forkast Forecasts 2021. In this series, leaders, innovators and visionaries in blockchain-related fields tell Forkast.News what they see as the most noteworthy developments for this industry in 2020 and their predictions for the year ahead.

Alex Tapscott is co-founder of the think tank Blockchain Research Institute and co-author of the best-selling book, Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin is Changing Money Business and the World.

The Toronto-based Blockchain Research Institute, which was co-founded by Alexs father Don Tapscott, has a research program focusing on the strategic implications of blockchain technology in business, government and society. In September, the institute announced its expansion into Europe through a partnership with Blockwall, a leading blockchain investment firm. Commenting on European governments experiments with central bank digital currencies and other blockchain-related efforts, Tapscott recently told Forkast.News that regulations are a necessary evil to innovation in business.

See related article: Why blockchain and crypto regulations are necessary evil for US and Europe

See related article: Proposed US law would require stablecoins to be 1:1 dollar-backed

See related article: Is DeFi a $10 billion Ponzi scheme?

See related article: S&P Dow Jones is adding cryptocurrency indices in 2021

See related article: Are US regulators finally warming to crypto and digital assets?

See related article: Joe Lubin and other prominent crypto leaders decry the STABLE Act

See related article: Why blockchain and crypto regulations are necessary evil for US and Europe

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Blockchain Research Institutes Alex Tapscott on stablecoins, DeFi and more - Forkast News

GHB was awarded new technology at the 2020 Blockchain Awards Ceremony – PRNewswire

The illegal recording prevention technology detects near-field recording frequencies that are active through secret recording detection devices (phones, devices), and long-distance call recording via smartphone is a recording detection application that disables recording by activating an illegal recording function using white noise.

GHBwill applythe patent for illegal filming prevention technology and illegal recording prevention technology and defined the position "we will try to commercialize it as soon as possible".

GHB (CEO Ko Ho-bum) actively responds to overseas marketing and advertisements, and tries to complete a new advertisement system that maximizes the effectiveness of advertisements by applying an open advertisement platform system that allows advertisement consumers to directly discover advertisement sponsors and conduct platform business.

Kim Hyung Jung, a head of judging panel (special professor at Korea University), evaluated "Through this screening of the winners, it was an opportunity to confirm that the scope of application of blockchain technology is expanding not only in public institutions, but also in overall society and economy such as music, second-hand transactions, e-sports, fashion, product exports, and M&A between companies".

Through joint awards with prominent lawmakers such as Lee Won-wook, chairman of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information, Broadcasting and Communication Committee, and Kim Byung-wook, secretary of the National Policy Committee(Democratic Party of Korea), Lee Jung-moon (State Affairs Commission), Jeon Jae-soo (State Affairs Commission), Yang Ki-dae (Public Administration and Security Committee), and Lee Yong-sun(Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee) , it is expected to contribute to political and corporate issues by discussing and delivering the issues of block chain industry to political circles.

SOURCE GHB

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GHB was awarded new technology at the 2020 Blockchain Awards Ceremony - PRNewswire

EY and Microsoft’s Xbox division expand blockchain royalties platform – Consulting.us

Microsoft and consulting partner EY have announced the expansion of an Azure-powered blockchain platform for gaming rights and royalty management.

EYand Microsoft previously announced the platform in 2018, initially launching with select Xbox partners such as Ubisoft.

Now the expanded solution will roll out to the wider Xbox ecosystem of content creators and rights holders. The blockchain-based solution cuts royalties management processing time by 99%, allowing for near-instant calculation of royalties and greater visibility into tracking and payment processing.

In this go-live, we successfully generated the first round of partner payments utilizing blockchain and smart contract technology, said Luke Fewel, GM of global finance operations, Microsoft. This expanded solution will help streamline financial and operational processes with the ability to scale, reduce heavy manual overhead, and improve the experience for Microsofts gaming partners. We look forward to continuing to scale this solution across our royalties ecosystem improving our processes and the continuation of our modern finance journey.

The Xbox enterprise blockchain platform uses AI to create contracts faster, integrates statements and invoices with existing ERP applications, and incorporates compliance standards to function as a financial system of record. It is capable of processing two million transactions per day, according to Microsoft.

Microsofts Xbox division recently launched its next generation of gaming consoles with the Series X. Microsofts ownership of Xbox has given the gaming platform a distinct advantage in infrastructure over the years, with Xboxs online experience vastly outpacing Sony and Nintendo. Now the companys partners will be able to leverage superior royalties management processes, benefiting from the specific resource advantages of Xboxs parent company.

The ability to maintain trusted data with near real-time transparency, combined with the flexibility of an application-specific platform, can deliver immediate business value by reducing cost and improving trust, said Dave Padmos, EY Americas TMT leader. We expect that this will continue to be a notable trend and growing need across all industries. The collaboration between EY and Microsoft is another step in our alliance as we team to develop transformative solutions that enable organizations to become adaptive digital enterprises that apply innovative technologies to deliver immediate and long-term value.

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EY and Microsoft's Xbox division expand blockchain royalties platform - Consulting.us

Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc. Launches Joint Venture with BLGI, Inc. to Expand its Blockchain Technology Application – GlobeNewswire

NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Dec. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire --Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc (the Company or Innovative), (OTCQB: IPSI),a U.S.-based fintech company building 21st century digital payment solutions, announced today the launch of a joint venture with blockchain and artificial intelligence company BLGI, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGI) to help expand the Company into global digital payment infrastructures.

The joint venture will ultimately advance the companies mutual efforts towards unlocking blockchain technology for swift funds processing, ensuring simplicity of payment for services at a substantially reduced cost for consumers and secure network to transfer funds anywhere in the world. The companies intend to join forces and facilitate the expertise of each in order to enhance and develop a one-of-a-kind digital payment solution that meets the needs of unbanked and underbanked communities throughout the U.S. and worldwide.

Innovative brings to the joint venture its extensive prior experience of operations in Mexico and is building a fintech ecosystem that uses multiple devices in order to help meet the needs of both consumers and service providers.

Our agreement with BLGI provides our companies with a tremendous opportunity to develop, evaluate and implement a blockchain technology that will expand our distribution ecosystem and coordinate analytical marketing data through our provision of comprehensive financial solutions to unbanked, underbanked and fully banked consumers, said Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc. CEO William Corbett.In addition, Lawrence P. Cummins, current chairman and CEO of BLGI, has recently joined our advisory board to provide his vision and insight to our ongoing business development.

Innovative has built an effective payment rail and a unique business model, stated Cummins. I envision a great opportunity in this joint collaboration and am looking forward to fast-track Innovative into the market and enhance its product proposition.

About Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc.

Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc. (Innovative) strives to offer cutting-edge digital payment solutions for consumers and service providers. Innovatives ecosystem will span multiple devices, such as self-service kiosks, mobile applications and POS terminals, offering alternative payment methods, including money remittance, to meet the needs of consumers and service providers. (www.investor.ipsipay.com)

About BLGI, Inc.

BLGI is a data science company that develops innovative solutions for blockchain technology, machine learning, artificial intelligence and data security. BLGI designs bespoke solutions that can be integrated on the blockchain and are tailored to a clients industry, including but not limited to asset management banking, cryptocurrency, Forex, media publishing and healthcare data management. (www.blgi.net)

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statement of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should" or "will" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology and include statements regarding the companies mutual efforts towards unlocking blockchain technology for swift funds processing, ensuring simplicity of payment for services at a substantially reduced cost for consumers and secure network to transfer funds anywhere in the world, the intention to join forces and facilitation of its expertise in order to enhance and develop a one of a kind digital payment solution that meets the needs of unbanked and underbanked communities in the U.S. and worldwide.

These forward-looking statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of the press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, our ability to leverage our extensive prior experience of operations in Mexico and building a fintech ecosystem that uses multiple devices in order to help meet the needs of both consumers and service providers, our ability to position the Company for future profitability, the duration and scope of the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide, including the impact to the economies in California and Mexico, and the other factors discussed in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019, and the Companys subsequent filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

For investor inquiries, please call (818) 864-4004 or email: info@ipsipay.com

Corporate Communications:

InvestorBrandNetwork (IBN)Los Angeles, Californiawww.InvestorBrandNetwork.com310.299.1717 OfficeEditor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com

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Innovative Payment Solutions, Inc. Launches Joint Venture with BLGI, Inc. to Expand its Blockchain Technology Application - GlobeNewswire

The Takings Clause, executive orders and just compensation – Hazard Herald

Once the dust has settled, and Kentucky returns to a post-COVID-19 world, it will be time to address just compensation for those who suffered as a result of the executive orders and administrative regulations imposed on Kentuckians, orders and regulations which oftentimes picked winners and losers and those businesses and organizations which would survive the shutdowns across the Commonwealth. As that day arrives, it is appropriate to borrow from a couple of old English idioms, [soon] the chickens will come home to roost and [then] it will be time to pay the piper.

When the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they were concerned about the arbitrary taking of their property without just compensation. This concern resulted in the Takings Clause which was included in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution which reads, No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Similarly, the Kentucky Constitution provides that [those] individuals invested with the privilege of taking private property for public use, shall make just compensation for property taken, injured or destroyed by them.

Although the original meaning of the takings clause was intended to protect the actual taking of property, the original meaning has evolved over the years to include administrative takings, even those takings which are temporary like those takings which have resulted from the executive orders of the governor and other state and local government officials throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Certainly, one would have to agree that many of the executive orders were necessary to control the spread of COVID-19. While that may be true, the rhetorical question which necessarily begs an answer is why so many of the executive orders arbitrarily and harshly targeted small businesses and organizations across the Commonwealth. Could it be that the governor and other state and local officials recognized that these small businesses and organizations were less likely to have the resources to fight the executive orders in court, executive orders which would certainly have been challenged by other businesses and organizations with substantial resources?

So why should any of this matter? The reason it matters is that the legislature will be meeting in a few weeks which will provide an opportunity to reign in the unbridled power of a governor or any other state or local official now and in the future, regardless of their political affiliation. It will also provide the legislature with an opportunity to set aside funds in the budget, funds which would be available to compensate those small businesses and organizations which have suffered as a result of decisions, decisions which were often arbitrary.

More importantly, the time has come for all Kentuckians to have a lively discussion and decide whether the language of the takings clauses in the Constitution of the United States and the Kentucky Constitution are more than mere words. In 1987, in upholding the takings clause Chief Justice William Rehnquist wrote the following words, [W]here the government's activities have already worked a taking of all use of property, no subsequent action by the government can relieve it of the duty to provide compensation for the period during which the taking was effective. Finally, it is also time to consider and heed the words of Ronald Reagan when he wrote, Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.

So, as I often do, I will ask all small business owners and organizations to join me on my imaginary mountaintop as we shout to Kentuckys legislature that it is time to reign in the unbridled power of the governor and other state and local officials to issue orders that result in the taking of property; it is time to shout that now that the chickens have come home to roost - it is time to pay the piper. And maybe, just maybe, if those small business owners and organizations shout loud enough others will join in the fight not only in Kentucky, but across America.

Mark Wohlander, a military veteran, former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, practices law in Lexington, Kentucky and throughout the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Other of Marks columns are available at http://www.fivesmoothstonesky.com.

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The Takings Clause, executive orders and just compensation - Hazard Herald

Lawsuit filed by 29 women can proceed against former West Linn doctor while criminal investigation continues, – OregonLive

A judge has denied a request by former West Linn Dr. David Farley to put a two-year hold on a civil case filed against him by 29 patients who allege he sexually abused them.

Multnomah County Circuit Judge Melvin Oden-Orr noted in his ruling Monday that for some plaintiffs, 17 years have already passed. This consideration weighs heavily against granting the stay.

Four women initially filed a lawsuit against Farley and then another 25 women joined it last week. Together, the 29 women seek a total of $290 million in damages, alleging Farley performed unnecessary pelvic exams and engaged in sexual battery while they were in his care.

The Oregon Medical Board stripped Farley of his state medical license on Oct. 2 for dishonorable and unprofessional conduct and gross or repeated negligence. He remains under criminal investigation by West Linn police. A majority of the plaintiffs have made statements to police, according to their lawyers.

Karen OKasey, Farleys lawyer, argued that postponing the civil suit would protect Farleys Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in the police investigation.

My client is facing a criminal investigation based on the same conduct, if not more, alleged by these same defendants, she told the court.

OKasey also argued that a delay wouldnt prejudice the women suing, noting the alleged conduct occurred five to 17 years ago.

But the judge found the arguments werent sufficient to grant a hold on the civil suit.

Citing case law, Oden-Orr wrote, Defendant has no absolute right not to be forced to choose between testifying in a civil matter and asserting his Fifth Amendment privilege.

Further, Oden-Orr said Farleys request isnt to simply delay a civil trail but also to delay gathering evidence in the case.

Farley can still protect himself by asserting his Fifth Amendment right when necessary, the judge wrote.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs told the court that theyve heard from dozens of other women who have come forward since the initial lawsuit was filed.

Allowing a stay in a civil matter whenever there is a pending criminal proceeding would render these civil cause of actions worthless and would deny victims of sexual assault the right to seek and obtain compensation for their pain and suffering, the plaintiffs lawyers wrote to the court.

The judge said he agreed, allowing the civil case to proceed.

Tom DAmore and John Manly, lawyers for the plaintiffs, said they have been contacted by more than 70 women who have reported alleged abuse by Farley.

Obtaining documents and testimony from Dr. Farley and those who worked with him at West Linn Medical Center, Legacy Meridian Park Hospital and Providence Health Services is crucial to hold those responsible for the pain and suffering of the young women we represent, DAmore and Manly said in a statement.

No criminal charges have been filed against Farley.

Farley moved to Idaho after leaving the West Linn Family Health Center and sending a retirement letter to his patients Aug. 12. He failed to mention he was under board investigation at the time.

As the civil case proceeds, Farley also is fighting to keep confidential the investigative records from the Oregon State Medical Board.

The plaintiffs lawyers had petitioned the Oregon attorney general to order the medical board to release its investigative records involving Farley. The attorney general ordered some released but not all. Farleys lawyers have argued in court papers that the records should remain confidential and are exempt under state law from public disclosure. Theyre seeking a temporary restraining order that would block the records release.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Lawsuit filed by 29 women can proceed against former West Linn doctor while criminal investigation continues, - OregonLive

Efforts to stop Trump’s border wall construction could extend long past Inauguration Day – Salon

When Carlos Flores filed suit against the Trump administration last summer, the Laredo-based attorney said he wanted to help his clients try to stave off border wall construction on their stretch of the Texas-Mexico border at least until the presidential election in hopes of seeing a new administration take over.

But with the election over and Trump set to give way to President-elect Joe Biden next month, Flores said the court battles over Trump's signature promise could stretch well past next month's inauguration.

"I could foresee that there are going to be some significant legal battles between now and at least Jan. 20 and possible further into 2021," he said. "It depends on how quickly and how decisively the Biden administration reacts to what's going on down here."

Flores represents Zapata County and two South Texas landowners in a lawsuit challenging Trump's 2017 executive order mandating construction of a physical barrier on the border. It also challenges a series of environmental waivers issued in May aimed at fast-tracking almost 70 miles of barrier from Webb County to Zapata County.

The lawsuit alleges the administration violated the Fifth Amendment's due process clause, which provides for equal protection under the law. The executive order "creates a 2nd Class United States citizen at the southern border who can have their land seized wholesale based on racist and white nationalist motives," the lawsuit states.

During the campaign, Biden said his administration would not build another mile of barrier should he win, and his campaign website states that during his first 100 days in office, he will end the "so-called National Emergency" that Trump declared in order to divert Department of Defense money to help build the barrier.

Still, Flores worries that the border barrier may not be among Biden's immediate priorities, which could allow the Department of Homeland Security to continue moving forward until it gets new marching orders.

"The thing I am really concerned about is that as we head into the winter months, the pandemic is going to get worse," Flores said. "And on day one he's going to have an economic crisis."

Jessica Bolter, a policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute, said last month that Biden could immediately end Trump's emergency declaration, but it's unclear how that would affect ongoing construction projects and the money already dedicated to them.

"Ending the transfer of future funds doesn't mean in itself that wall construction stops," she said.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing progress on one of his most high-profile campaign promises. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection online tracker of border wall construction indicates a 69-mile stretch of new barrier is under construction in Webb County, and another 52-mile project is in the "pre-construction" phase.

The government hasn't built anything on the land that's part of Flores' lawsuit; court documents show that last month the federal government was granted more time to file documents seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, which would allow the project to proceed. Flores said hearings are possible as late as next month.

"It's all going to depend how aggressive the feds are in moving forward with the construction," he said. "I just don't know why they would spend all this money. I guess people feel like they're going to get fired by President Trump between now and Jan. 20, I don't know."

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

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Efforts to stop Trump's border wall construction could extend long past Inauguration Day - Salon

Nisreen Mamaji on drilling the idea of financial independence into womens heads – Moneycontrol.com

Note to readers: When it comes to money management, women have skilfully manoeuvred finances of their families and those of investors on a larger scale. But the number of such women professional managers remains low, though. Of all registered investment advisors with SEBI (securities and exchange board of India), just about 10 percent are women. In this special five-part series, Moneycontrol personal finance profiles five women who are not only in control of their own personal finances but also guide several other women and families in managing their wealth.

Yesterday, we profiled Renu Maheshwari, CEO and Principal Advisor, FinScholarz Wealth Managers LLP. Today, meet Mumbai-based Nisreen Mamaji, certified financial planner and Founder MoneyWorks FS.

Nisreen Mamaji loves money conversations with her clients. But she is also a patient listener, a trait which she says has helped her greatly in connecting with her clients. She has around 300 clients, of whom 50 per cent are women. MoneyWorks Financial Services, where she is the chief planner, is a financial distribution firm that earns commission income on the products sold. She has not applied for a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) license.

Sustainable clientele for commission income

Besides capping fees over the years, the capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) also came out with RIA regulations. Financial advisors registered as RIAs can only give advice, for which they must charge a fee. MoneyWorks Financial Services plans to follow the commission-based model for now, which means firms such as MoneyWorks Financial Services must constantly expand their customer base to be able to retain the commission income theyve been earning so far. For the distribution industry, penetration is important.

She works with a team of five people who dedicate most of their time on product research platforms as well as on customer support and operations. Fortunately MoneyWorks FS had shifted most of her clients to online investing much before the pandemic. It also does online on-boarding the Know-Your-Customer (KYC) formalities are completely digital.

From selling insurance to wealth creation

Nisreen started her career in the financial sector as an insurance adviser. After selling traditional insurance plans, the need for a wider portfolio in an investors moneybox that could beat inflation made her diversify into mutual funds. Her understanding of personal wealth creation, she remembers, came through her own investments. Her father had invested in stocks and funds on her behalf and the compounded returns from those investments helped her to later invest in a property.

This gave me a strong conviction about the possibility of wealth creation by investing in a basket of instruments capable of beating inflation, she says. Nisreen started selling mutual funds in 2002 and set up her own firm in 2005. At that time, the asset management companies were also investing aggressively in training independent distributors. As part of DSP mutual funds Winvisor program, she has been conducting workshops in corporate firms addressing their women employees on the need to be financially independent.

Aditi Kothari Desai, director, and head-sales & marketing at DSP Mutual Fund has led this program that connects women in corporate India with women financial advisors and planners through a series of investment education workshops. Nisreen is on the panel of Winvisor program; a platform that also gave her a wider women audience. Over the years, we have drilled this into women employees minds that its so important to be financially independent. They must not depend on the male members of their families, she says.

Rising financial awareness among younger women

What are her main observations? Nisreen says that over the years, women have become more financially aware. Young women, she goes on to explain, are more open to financial advice. They seek out qualified financial planners, build a relationship and follow their financial advice. A couple of young women clients of mine even brought in their mothers to my office for financial consulting, she says. Older women arent as invested in their financial independence as they ought to. Ive often observed that older women spend their income on their families and keep very little or nothing aside for their own investment plans. This makes them very dependent on joint family finances, which unfortunately could get out of reach overnight should their marriage go sour, says Nisreen. This vulnerability should certainly be avoided and reduced.

Being a women herself makes it easier, she claims, to sensitise her women clients. We can intuitively figure out from the first few discussions about the issues that they may not share openly with us readily says Nisreen Mamaji. These qualities, she feels makes a women adviser best for the financial advisory profession.

Also read: Money management: Where are the women financial advisers?

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Nisreen Mamaji on drilling the idea of financial independence into womens heads - Moneycontrol.com

Your Money: Give yourself the gift of financial independence – The Ledger

Matthew A. Treskovich| Special to The Ledger

We live in a remarkable time. This year, we've faced tremendous challenges, from a global pandemic and recession, to a contested election.

Despite these challenges, there has never been a better time to be alive than now, and never a better place to live than the United States of America. Modern medicine has given us treatments and vaccines at a speed never before seen in human history. American capitalism has already launched an economic recovery stronger than any on record. These are remarkable achievements, but there is a bigger reason that this is a great time to be alive.

In America today, anyone can achieve financial independence.

Financial Independence simply means reaching the point where you work because you want to, not because you have to.

We all have the ability to achieve financial independence if we do the right things. Achieving financial independence means focusing on the things you can control and having a plan for the things you cant.

We have complete control over how much we spend and how much we save. The easiest way to achieve financial independence is to save early and save often. If youre not already saving, the best time to start is right now.

We have no control over what the markets will do. More often than not, the markets will go up. Sometimes they will go down. While we cant control the markets, we can control how and where we invest. Having a plan to invest wisely and participate in market returns is another key to achieving financial independence.

We have little control over tax rates, but proper planning can give you some control over the taxes you pay and when you pay them. Every dollar you pay in unnecessary taxes is a dollar that is lost forever. Saving money is important but saving and investing wisely to minimize taxes is just as important.

Anyone can achieve financial independence. Its not complicated, even though at times it might seem difficult. Having a plan and sticking to the plan are the things that set financial independent people apart from the rest.

This year you can give the gift of financial independence to yourself or someone you care about.All it takes is making a plan, saving oftenand investing wisely. Most importantly, stick to your plan and get help from an expert if you need it.

Matthew Treskovich is the chief investment officer for CPS Investment Advisors. He can be reached at 863-688-1725 or by email at Matt@CPSInvest.com.

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Your Money: Give yourself the gift of financial independence - The Ledger

The budget breakdown of a teacher earning $58,000 a year who paid off her student loans and bought a house in Dallas – CNBC

This story is part of CNBC Make It'sMillennial Moneyseries, which details how people around the world earn, spend and save their money.

Lani Huang has never had a "normal" year as a teacher.

She began her career in 2017 teaching in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and took part in the 2018 teacher walkouts at the end of her first year. In the fall of 2019, she relocated to a new school in Dallas and ended the term in the spring of 2020 like millions of other teachers and students around the world interacting with her class virtually as her school district shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, the 25-year-old is back in the classroom teaching middle school math to students spaced six feet apart, shielded by face masks with Plexiglas separating their desks, while also instructing a group of students who remain at home through Zoom.

This year, Huang will earn $58,400 as a public middle school math teacher. She made an additional $1,212 from teaching virtual summer school and making instructional math videos for her school district to air on the local PBS channel. She also received a $250 stipend for serving as a mentor to two new teachers on her team and $128 for covering a class for a colleague in December.

Lani Huang teaches middle school math to students in her classroom and online at the same time.

Courtesy of Lani Huang

Despite the many challenges over the past few years, Huang has achieved some major milestones: She paid off her student loans, moved to a new state, bought her first house and moved in with her boyfriend.

Huang felt it was important to share her journey to financial independence as a second-generation American raised by a single mother. She hopes to encourage young people from similar backgrounds that they can achieve similar goals.

Here's how Huang manages her money.

Huang's mom, Jan, is one of 10 kids and the only one to leave Thailand for the U.S. She arrived in Chicago when she was 25 with a plan to work and go to college. She gave birth to her only daughter when she was in her 40s.

Huang says her mom who worked long hours for the Chicago Public School district and as a nursing assistant and stretched the household budget on a single income in an expensive city is the biggest influence in how she perceives money today.

First and foremost, Huang learned from her the importance of saving from an early age, and she now tries to stash away $1,000 per month. She learned that material possessions lose value and prefers to spend on experiences, like travel and concerts, over things.

Lani Huang and her mom take a mother-daughter trip every year.

Courtesy of Lani Huang

Perhaps most importantly, Huang's mom taught her to not rely on anyone else while working toward her goals. "My mom always told me to not wait for a man to get what I wanted or what I needed," she says. "I think that's what made me work so hard. If I want something, I know that I have to find a way to do it."

Huang studied psychology and Mandarin Chinese at her mom's alma mater, DePaul University, while working food-service and hospitality jobs. She graduated with about $16,000 in student debt.

During her senior year, she was recruited by Teach for America to become a certified educator and teach at a school that serves low-income students in Tulsa. She taught there for two years and used her demanding schedule, low cost of living and limited social activities to her advantage to save as much money as possible usually a few hundred dollars each month.

Through its partnership with AmeriCorp, Teach for America covered roughly $12,000 of Huang's student loans in exchange for her teaching service. And on August 2, 2019 the day before her 24th birthday Huang paid off the remaining $4,000 principal in one lump sum as a gift to herself.

Once she was debt-free, she set her sights on another goal on her list: buying a home.

After growing up in rented apartments, "it's always been a dream of mine to own my own home," Huang says.

Lani Huang bought a house in Dallas this year.

CNBC Make It

She moved to Dallas during the summer of 2019 and quickly started her house hunt. By January 2020, she found a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house that she negotiated from $165,000 down to $155,000. She made a down payment of $10,000 and part of her closing costs were covered by the realtor's commission through the Teachers Next Door program.

Homeownership has come with some surprise costs namely higher utility bills, as it's not cheap to cool the 1,500 square-foot space during Dallas summers. But Huang has embraced time at home during the pandemic to complete DIY projects in her kitchen, bathrooms and garage. "Anything that I can learn how to do myself, I'll learn how to do it through YouTube," she says.

People are often surprised to learn that she bought the house on her own, since she and her boyfriend, Andrew Giannetto, have been dating for almost two years and now live together. "They're like, 'Oh, did you guys buy it together?' That's always one of their first questions," Huang says. "When I tell them 'no, I did this myself,' it's always so surprising."

While living in Tulsa, Huang missed city life, but she also knew returning to Chicago would be pricey. As she planned her exit from Tulsa, an annual mother-daughter trip took her on a tour through Texas.

Huang was surprised to see a sizable Asian population around Dallas "it was almost excitement, like, 'Wow, there's Asian people and I'm not in an Asian restaurant or Asian market,'" she says which was an important factor for her in choosing a new place to live. Recent U.S. Census data shows Asian residents continue to be major drivers of Dallas-Fort Worth's population boom, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Plus, leaving Oklahoma, which has some of the lowest teacher pay in the country, and working for a Texas school would bump Huang's pay from the $30,000-range to the $50,000-range.

Access to a major international airport sealed the deal: "I love to travel, especially with having family back in Thailand. So I found it important to also choose a city that had a big airport where flights would be affordable."

Here's how Huang spent her money in October 2020:

Huang's savings targets aren't as aggressive now that she's paid off her college debt and bought a house, but she still tries to put away $1,000 per month. However, she was waylaid in October by a surprise wisdom teeth surgery that she had to cover out of pocket. She currently has about $10,000 in savings and keeps a $5,000 cushion in her checking account.

She saves for retirement through a 403(b) plan, but she didn't contribute in October. She continues to pay into her Texas teacher's retirement pension. Altogether, she has nearly $10,000 saved for retirement.

Huang considers herself financially savvy but feels she has more to learn about investing. She began investing in stocks through Robinhood two years ago, contributes to the brokerage account every now and then and has about $2,200 invested so far.

Andrew Giannetto and Lani Huang have been dating for almost two years and moved in together in February.

Courtesy of Lani Huang

Huang met Giannetto in Tulsa two years ago, and they moved in together this past February. Due to his move and the job market during the pandemic, Giannetto was unemployed until late October. Huang covered the majority of shared expenses until recently and hopes to work toward a 50/50 split. In October, Giannetto contributed $450 to shared living costs. They keep separate food budgets but pay for each others' meals on dates.

Huang says while it was stressful to cover new homeownership costs without splitting it with a partner, she didn't mind too much as long as Giannetto saw the situation as temporary.

"As a teen," she says, "I always knew that I didn't mind working and I didn't mind being the breadwinner as long as my significant other balanced that out" by taking on more household responsibilities. As she sees it, "it's important for me to make sure that the people around me are building better saving habits themselves and not just relying on one person, because that's my personal philosophy."

Shortly after she was born, Huang spent four years in Thailand being raised by her grandma, aunts and older cousins while her mom continued to work in Chicago. As she got older, she realized that her extended family in Thailand lived more comfortably than she and her mom did, due in part to the lower cost of living there.

"A lot of times, the narrative is that when the family immigrates to the U.S. and they start making money, they send money home to Thailand," Huang explains. "But that wasn't the case for my family. My extended family actually helped support me and my mom growing up."

Lani Huang spent several childhood years in Thailand being raised by her grandma, aunts and older cousins.

Courtesy of Lani Huang

She visits Thailand every few years, and those experiences have inspired her to make charitable giving a fixture in her budget, primarily by contributing to individual fundraising efforts of former students and colleagues. In October, she donated to two former students' efforts to raise money to cover funeral costs for people impacted by Covid-19.

Teaching students both in-person and online at the same time, on top of keeping everyone's health and safety top of mind, has been a difficult transition for Huang and her colleagues.

As teachers continue to be essential workers and community leaders during the pandemic, Huang believes it's crucial people value the work that teachers do and compensate them fairly. And in the meantime, she hopes negative connotations around teacher pay don't dissuade people from entering the field, especially if they have big financial dreams like she does.

Lani Huang felt it was important to share her journey to financial independence as a second-generation American raised by a single mother.

CNBC Make It

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The budget breakdown of a teacher earning $58,000 a year who paid off her student loans and bought a house in Dallas - CNBC

I’m retiring within a decade and it’s thanks to 3 realizations I’ve had over the course of my career – Business Insider

Personal Finance Insider writes about products, strategies, and tips to help you make smart decisions with your money. We may receive a small commission from our partners, like American Express, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Over the last decade of self-employment, I have worked many 50+ hour weeks, as well as in planes, trains, and even gas station parking lots. I have purposely set my alarm for 4:00 am so I could begin working before sunrise, and I have labored away many evenings, weekends, and holidays along the way.

My hands even ache as I type these words, but I'll keep going until I'm done. Yet, I don't work because I love it, or because writing is some sort of passion I have. I don't even work because I need to earn a specific dollar amount to pay my bills.

I work because I want to retire early. And right now, I believe I could be around seven years away.

Currently, I am 40 years old and my husband is 41, which means we could potentially retire at the ages of 47 and 48. It all depends on how much we can invest until then, and on the investment returns we receive. At the latest, I believe we can both easily retire at age 50.

It's also possible we could retire earlier if we wanted, but we don't want the constrained sort of early retirement you hear a lot of FIRE bloggers write about (FIRE stands for financial independence/retire early). We don't want to cut coupons or live in a tiny home, nor do we want to avoid dining out for the rest of our lives. Not at all.

Some would say we are pursuing Fat FIRE, which is basically early retirement on steroids. Where FIRE stands for "financial independence, retire early," Fat FIRE assumes you want more money than you need so you can continue your current lifestyle or better.

For my husband and I to live the retirement lifestyle we want, we need enough money that we can maintain a high standard of living. For us, that mostly means being able to travel internationally several months out of the year while also maintaining our residence at home.

And of course we want to have plenty of money so we can have breathing room and never, ever have to worry about money again even if we don't work for another 40+ years. If I want to go out to dinner or buy a new kitchen gadget or donate to a cause I care about, I want to be able to do it without hesitation.

But the main reason we're pursuing early retirement isn't so we can feel "rich." It's so we can live true, authentic lives without having to worry about projects or deadlines or pointless Zoom meetings.

One day, in the not too distant future, I want to wake up in the morning and drink coffee and read aimlessly for hours. I want to spend months in my favorite cities (Athens? Zagreb? Rome?) around the world, exploring every street and the little off-the-beaten-path sights I never have enough time to see. I want to spend four hours making meals from scratch with absolutely no regrets because I have nowhere to be and nothing else to do.

I also want to have time to volunteer, and to pour myself into projects I care about without having to be paid for my time and efforts.

Basically, I want to do whatever I want. There, I said it. I don't want to work.

What's funny is, a lot of people seem to think pursuing early retirement is really strange. After all, most people in their 30s and 40s are deep into their careers but not worrying about the future too much quite yet.

But now that I'm a little older, I actually think it's nuts to not think about retirement at all. In fact, I think it's ludicrous to work 40+ hours a week, not have any idea where your money is going, and just hope for the best. The incredibly sad thing is, that is what most people my age do.

The numbers don't lie. A recent Vanguard study revealed that the average 401(k) balance is just $92,148 across all age groups. For those ages 35 to 44, the average balance is just $61,238, and those ages 45 to 54 have just $115,497 saved.

Even for high-earners who bring in $150,000 or more each year, the average 401(k) balance is $193,130 and the median balance is $76,448.

No matter who you ask, it's safe to say all of these numbers come up short. If you're curious why I feel the way I do about early retirement and wondering if you should get on board, here are a few concepts that helped to change my perspective over time.

According to recent data, the average retirement age is around 64, although individuals in some states retire later than that. But because most Americans have far less saved for retirement than they should, the average "realistic" retirement age for many Americans could be as high as 74.

Meanwhile, the average life expectancy in the United States is 78.7 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This means that, if you go with the status quo, you'll likely work 40 to 50 years of your life before enjoying the final decade or so and living the way you want. Unfortunately, far too many people have health problems that prevent them from following many of their dreams at that point, and those on a limited income may not be able to afford to.

I mean, you may want to travel the world when you retire, but you may not be in the best health or have the cash to do it unless you plan ahead.

I believe we will reach our retirement number in less than 10 years at this point, but that doesn't necessarily mean I will stop working completely. In fact, I could very well continue working to create more of a buffer, or to boost my kids' college savings accounts as they get closer to leaving the nest (they're 9 and 11 now).

Heck, I might keep working on special projects so I can pay for over-the-top travel I normally wouldn't splurge for, like a business-class trip to Dubai first then the Maldives, where we could stay in an overwater bungalow.

But the point about saving for early retirement is getting the option to quit working if that's what you want. If you don't save early and invest often, you'll have to keep working whether you want to or not.

Here's another thing that has become painfully clear to me over the years the incredible power of compounding. I don't think many people realize that, if you hope to rack up $2 million or $6 million for retirement, you don't actually have to save and invest that much money.

All you have to do is invest some (enough!) money on a regular basis and give it the room to grow. From there, compound interest will do the rest.

For example, imagine you could save $1.5 million by age 40 and you hope to retire at age 50. If you invested $1.5 million by 40 and earned a 7% return for 10 years, you would have more than $2.9 million by the age of 50 without adding a single cent to your account. That's just an example, but it illustrates the magical powers of compound interest.

We all know that not everyone can pursue early retirement, or for some, any type of retirement at all. But for those who can, it seems like a shame to work hard for decades without having an end goal or any type of plan.

If you run the numbers, you may find that hitting retirement earlier than expected may be more attainable than you think especially if you start fairly young. At the very least, you should play around with a compound interest calculator to see what it would take to reach your goals. One day, not too long from now, your future self might thank you.

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I'm retiring within a decade and it's thanks to 3 realizations I've had over the course of my career - Business Insider