AWS Makes It Easier to Save Money with Spot Instances

Amiram Shachar is Founder & CEO of Spotinst, helping teams leverage excess capacity (eg Spot Instances) to save up to 85 percent on cloud costs. Prior to founding Spotinst, he was Director of DevOps at Ybrant Digital and led the Israeli Defense Force's move to the cloud.

Back in 2009, Amazon Web Services released a revolutionary offering called "EC2 Spot Instances." This offering allows AWS to get some value out of their excess capacity by selling EC2 instances of virtual machines at bargain prices (up to 80 percent off). These bargain prices come with a major caveat — Spot Instances can be interrupted with two minutes notice once other customers demand full-priced servers.

Over time, Amazon EC2 Spot Instances became very popular as the best way to lower EC2 costs dramatically (see: Ticketmaster using Spot Instances), but have become synonymous with risk. While utilizing the spare capacity AWS offers at up to 90 percent off the On-Demand price can be a gamechanger for companies big and small, the lack of any form of SLA or guarantee that your instances will remain available makes them too tricky for most to leverage.

At the company's re:Invent 2017 user conference, held this week in Las Vegas, AWS has introduced new features and changes to Spot Instances. This is the dawn of a new era of Spot, immediately opening the door for creative DevOps teams to run any workload on Spot.

"We launched a new pricing model and simplified access to Amazon EC2 Spot Instances," said Joshua Burgin, general manager of EC2 at Amazon Web Services, about the new update. "With these changes, you can launch Spot instances the same way launch On-Demand instances, and customers can count on low, predictable prices."

The lack of service level agreement (SLA), however, remains — so if you require consistency or high availability for your workloads, this problem is still unsolved. For this reason, at Spotinst, we're proud to help AWS provide that SLA to their customers. As Burgin says on our blog, "Spotinst, an AWS Advanced Partner, has been helping AWS customers to leverage Spot Instances for many years. By supporting these new features, Spotinst's service enables customers to move additional workloads to Spot Instances with less-effort and greater confidence."

New Pricing System Has Arrived

So what's new with Spot? In short, Spot Instances will become less "volatile" and easier to consume via standard EC2 APIs, removing some of the barriers for those looking to get started with AWS' spare capacity.

Before we explain how it affects you as an AWS user, let's first take a look at the specific changes:

1. Spot Market changes are less frequent

Spot Market prices rise and fall based on demand of the specific instance type and region where you're looking to run Spot Instances. Until now, these changes would be frequent, sometimes spiking multiple times a second.

Now, these changes will only come 3-5 times a day.

2. Bidding for Spot Instances is now Optional

No need to figure out a new way to get Instances when dealing with Spot. Bidding is now optional (though it can be a great way to set an upper limit on Spot costs for transient apps). Where you used to be required to set a maximum bid, you now just launch a Spot Instance as you would an On-Demand Instance. AWS will mark your "virtual bid" as the On-Demand price, and will terminate your capacity arbitrarily, whenever they need that capacity back.

No more worrying about what bid to set.

3. Spot interruptions are tougher to monitor and predict

You used to be interrupted when the Spot Market price exceeded the bid price. So when does your Spot Instance get interrupted if you don't set a bid price?

It's a simple answer, but one you'll be unable to track. Your Spot Instances will be interrupted when AWS runs out of spare capacity — when all spare Instances of this type and region have been requested for On-Demand or Reserved purposes. As users, however, we have no insight into what AWS' spare capacity looks like. There won't be any way to predict or prevent interruption, understand why your Instance was interrupted, or know how AWS chooses which Spot Instances to interrupt first.

You'll just lose the Instance.

4. New feature: Hibernate for Spot

This feature is awesome for workloads that don't require high availability. Spot Instances can now save data after being terminated.

If you leverage Spot hibernation, when your Spot Instance is terminated, your data will be saved into an EBS volume. Your Spot Instance will then reboot once the spare capacity is available again. Hibernate will keep the memory state for your EC2 machine and will continue to work from the same way it stopped. This feature is now available for Linux EC2 Instances.

5. Launch Spot instances via RunInstances API

You can request Spot instances from the same API you use for On Demand and Reserved instances by simply specifying "Spot" option.

Okay, So Is This Good or Bad?!?

Well, both. It all depends on how you want to leverage Spot Instances and how sophisticated your Spot strategy currently is.

For users that are confused by Spot Instances, this makes your life easier. Without any SLA, however, managing Spot Instances will still be rather tricky if you're looking for a reliable form of consistency or availability.

Pros:

It's way easier to get started with Spot Instances. By removing the need to determine a bid price, there's little learning to be done before diving into the world of Spot Instances. They basically work like On-Demand Instances now, only way cheaper.

Not as many price jumps. While the Spot Market still may jump up and down quite a bit, limiting the price changes to several times a day means that you can rest a bit easier while running on Spot. No longer you will see noisy Spot price graphs and no longer you will be kicked-out by another Spot customer. Your Spot Instances will only be interrupted if AWS needs that capacity for another On-Demand customer.

Hibernation! By using this new feature, you won't lose all your data when your Spot Instance goes down. This makes running things like Batch jobs on Spot a lot easier.

Cons:

Running workloads that demand high or consistent availability on Spot is harder than ever. You'll have no visibility into the price changes to predict interruptions and no way to be alerted in advance before an interruption.

"Where did my instance go?" You're likely to say this a lot as Spot Instances will be interrupted arbitrarily. Without visibility into the pricing or price changes, your instances will disappear without clear reason and any warning before they're lost.

Still no SLA for availability. You have no insurance that any of these instances will stay live for an extended period of time. For workloads demanding consistency or availability, this can be problematic.

In short, if you've never used Spot Instances, getting started has never been this easy. If you're looking, however, to run workloads requiring high or consistent availability, you'll either need to work internally to build your own Spot management strategy or leverage an existing platform that does it for you.

Feature image via Pixabay.

Source: AWS Makes It Easier to Save Money with Spot Instances

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Bitcoin $10,000 – Huge Volatility of Cryptocurrencies and Risky Fiat Making Gold Attractive

– Bitcoin tops $10,000, soaring more than 850% since beginning of 2017– Irrational exuberance arguably main driver of price performance– Google Trends shows search for 'Bitcoin Bubble' hit highest level this morning– Buyers need to be aware of hacking and security risks– Other primary risks to widespread adoption is volatility and liquidity risk– World's largest online trading platform IG Markets suspends BTC trading– Volatility of cryptocurrencies and risky world of fiat make gold attractive

Bitcoin topped $10,000 on some exchanges yesterday to much fanfare and animal spirits internationally.

With a 850% surge in less than a year, bitcoin has seen gains that are four times more than dot-com stocks gains at their height in the late 1990s. This is making the first and arguably the best cryptocurrency look like it is an ever-growing bubble which will no doubt hurt many speculative punters when it finally goes 'pop'.

Bitcoin's market cap is over $160 billion and more than that of General Electric, a company that has been in existence since 1892 and has nearly 250,000 employees.

When you look on Google Trends and see the search for 'Bitcoin Bubble' reach a peak as the price probes $10,000 then you know that many owners and non owners of the cryptocurrency are beginning to get worried. Although a contrarian might say that the widespread concerns of a bubble mean that we may be in the early stages of the bubble.

Bitcoin has many factions concerned. Central bankers are worried about its impact on financial markets, merchants are confused if they should be accepting it or not, exchanges are terrified they'll get a large sell order and some gold investors are even wondering if they should have invested in Nakamoto's invention rather than the world's oldest form of money.

Jitters are seriously beginning to show and yet the price keeps climbing. However high price does not necessarily equal validation. High price in this case is partly a sign of irrational exuberance. It is a sign of a market that is playing a short-game, blinkered by the mounting risks to which the bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets are exposed.

Bubblecious Bitcoin

Dr Constantin Gurdgiev, finance professor, respected market commentator and former non-executive adviser to GoldCore warned of a speculative bubble:

…at this point in time, bitcoin price can be potentially driven solely by expectations held by its enthusiasts, plus the incentives by the predominantly China-based investors to avoid extreme risks of capital controls and expropriations. If so, both drivers would make it a speculative bubble.

The problem with bitcoin is not that they are worth nothing. They are clearly worth something, if anything just because of the work that goes into creating them but also because there are people willing to make an economic exchange for them.

The problem with bitcoin is that while adoption is surging, it is still amongst a tiny section of the population – primarily the tech community and millennials. There are varied estimates but is believed that some 0.01% of the world's population holds a bitcoin wallet (not even bitcoin as many have wallets and accounts but have not bought).

The case for its potential is utterly compelling but it is as yet unproven with many potential competing digital currencies – state and private.

So what we are left with is a cycle of irrational exuberance, speculation and FOMO (fear of missing out).

There is some value to bitcoin and the tech is excellent and compelling. The dot com bubble did not burst because dot com stocks were completely useless, it burst because everyone became overexcited and a highly speculative "get rich" scheme. The same can be send for tulip mania.

As evidenced by our publishing and trading online and the growth of social media and e-commerce in recent years, there was some value and great tech in the dot com era. The same will be seen with bitcoin, but most likely once the bubble has burst and the FOMOs have scarpered and moved onto the next great think … possibly gold and silver bullion. Only then will we see it's true potential.

As Michael J.Casey explained, the current bitcoin market has the hallmarks of a bubble now because of its immaturity. It needs to grow up quickly in order to move past this bubble phase.

The problem I have with the immaturity of bitcoin's investing culture is not that it's setting the market up for a correction. It's that it constrains progress toward attaining the technology's more fundamental social value.

Speculation is unavoidable, even useful in bootstrapping innovation. But if bitcoin is to change billions of lives, it needs to become a more mainstream asset class, one that's connected to the real world that those people occupy. As much as we might all love this quirky, abnormal "honeybadger of money," bitcoin needs to become more normal.

It needs more stability. It needs a two-way market.

The lack of a two-way market means there is increased volatility and a significant lack of liquidity. This can even create security risks for even the most professional of platforms.

On Monday IG Group told the Financial Times it had 'suspended trading of some of its bitcoin derivatives on Monday after roaring demand for the products left the company facing a high security risk.'

This is an asset-class which does not have years of data for analysts and investors to find support and understanding for their trading decisions. This makes the market nervous especially with such low liquidity. Hence this is a speculators game at present and one which makes even the most professional of platforms run scared.

Should gold investors be crying themselves to sleep?

Inevitably, bitcoin's performance results in many commentators declaring that gold is dead and bitcoin has replaced it. This is only based on the cryptocurrency's price action. In reality there is little to compare between the two.

If the bitcoin price action and its mere existence have any impact on gold then it can only be a good thing.

The birth of cryptocurrency in the last decade has caused many to realise that fiat currency does not have to be the only way in which one stores their wealth. Indeed it is not an optimal way to save for the long term – especially in these era of low to negative interest rates.

Like gold, bitcoin threatens central bankers' control of the banking system and money supply, which could undermine the monetary policies they use to manage inflation. These same policies which so many savers and investors lose out from.

It has also made people aware of the risks they are exposed to when investing. These means they are looking for further diversification in their portfolios, to be found with both gold and cryptocurrencies.

It is probably a good idea to have a small exposure to bitcoin, after all it is proving to be a worthy hedge against geopolitical upset this year. If nothing else, it makes sense as the technology is powerful and will be used in some form in the coming years and it makes sense to get familiar with the technology.

The main sources of concern and risks with bitcoin are the low liquidity and the high security risks. Neither of these exist with physical, allocated and segregated gold bullion bars and or coins. Current gold investors are well aware of this. Soon others will be too.

Many who get out of bitcoin as the bubble springs a leak will be putting that capital into gold as they seek an alternative to the volatility of cryptocurrencies and the dangerous world of fiat.

This is not an unhackable bubble

Low liquidity and security risks are at the forefront of the bitcoin bubble. IG Group's decision to suspend trading of bitcoin derivatives was a direct result of these two issues.

The more cryptocurrency IG, or any broker. holds, the greater the security risk for them. They are exposed on two fronts.

Firstly hackers are circling such exchanges like sharks around a dying whale calf. Secondly, in order to meet bids, exchanges have to go out into the market and buy the underlying asset. This exposes them to often unregulated exchanges given the lack of availability of bitcoins.

So suddenly you have two major counterparty risks. Two risks that bitcoin (as a 'digital gold') was apparently designed to avoid.

With risks such as these one has to ask if investors are holding them for security of diversification out of the fiat system, or for speculation. If it is the latter, as we suspect, then we are facing bubble with very significant security risks.

We have seen multiple hacking attempts and successes in the bitcoin space. There have been some major disasters and some major saves. However, this bubble is growing which arguably exposes the exchanges to the risk of low liquidity and counterparties, more than it does security.

Markets could go haywire once sellers realise they can no longer exit their positions, i.e. this is not a two-way system.

Buy gold and bitcoin, but only expect the grown-up to protect you

When you invest in physical, allocated and segregated gold you can be sure that the above scenario is not the case. The gold market is a several-century old set-up. One which has moved with the times in terms of security but kept to old-school beliefs when it comes to keeping counterparties to an absolute minimum.

We often discuss the risks of 'digital gold', pooled gold which is exposed to risks on a number of levels. Bitcoin has different but similar risks – how to own it in a safe way.

It is these risks which should stop people from rushing into bitcoin and from comparing it to gold.

As we concluded in our recent coverage of the ongoing bitcoin versus gold debate:

The debate is not about bitcoin versus gold but instead about investors and savers protecting themselves from the rapid devaluation of fiat currencies.

Bitcoin is new and volatile, with much to prove. Gold has been in existence as money and a store of value for millennia, not to mention all of it's other roles.

Investors should continue to pay attention to the bitcoin chatter due to the narrative it offers around changing attitudes to money and the economy. However, they must remember that the debate is about security of savings and value. This is where gold is currently the only real contender for protecting your diversified portfolio.

Related reading

Gold Versus Bitcoin: The Pro-Gold Argument Takes Shape

Wozniak and Thiel Fuel Bitcoin-Gold Debate: Gold Comes Out On Top

Gold Is Better Store of Value Than Bitcoin – Goldman Sachs

Bitcoin "Is A Bubble" but Gold Is Money Says World's Biggest Hedge Fund Manager

News and Commentary

Asian shares fall from decade peak as China falters (Reuters.com)

Gold settles higher to recoup most of last week's loss (MarketWatch.com)

Gold rises, hits 6-week high, on lift from weaker dollar (Reuters.com)

U.S. Stocks Give Up Early Gains as Crude Retreats (SwissInfo.ch)

Bitcoin 10,000 as it rockets to new record high (Reuters.com)

Source: Bloomberg

Central bankers fear cryptos could cost them control of the world (Gata.org)

Bitcoin could devour the financial world – Keiser (RT.com)

The Dumbest Dumb Money Finally Gets Suckered In (DollarCollapse.com)

This is what Asia's middle class is buying (StansBerryChurcHouse.com)

Now Accepting Visa, Bitcoin and Gold By Lionel Laurent (Bloomberg.com)

Gold Prices (LBMA AM)

28 Nov: USD 1,293.90, GBP 972.75 & EUR 1,088.95 per ounce27 Nov: USD 1,294.70, GBP 969.73 & EUR 1,084.83 per ounce24 Nov: USD 1,289.15, GBP 967.89 & EUR 1,086.37 per ounce23 Nov: USD 1,290.15, GBP 969.93 & EUR 1,089.40 per ounce22 Nov: USD 1,283.95, GBP 969.25 & EUR 1,092.51 per ounce21 Nov: USD 1,280.00, GBP 967.04 & EUR 1,090.69 per ounce20 Nov: USD 1,292.35, GBP 974.82 & EUR 1,096.43 per ounce

Silver Prices (LBMA)

28 Nov: USD 17.07, GBP 12.84 & EUR 14.36 per ounce27 Nov: USD 17.10, GBP 12.81 & EUR 14.32 per ounce24 Nov: USD 17.05, GBP 12.80 & EUR 14.38 per ounce23 Nov: USD 17.10, GBP 12.84 & EUR 14.43 per ounce22 Nov: USD 16.97, GBP 12.81 & EUR 14.44 per ounce21 Nov: USD 17.00, GBP 12.85 & EUR 14.50 per ounce20 Nov: USD 17.15, GBP 12.94 & EUR 14.56 per ounce

Recent Market Updates

– Financial Advice from Dr Wayne Dyer– Buy Gold As Fed Shows Uncertainty And Concern Over Financial 'Imbalances'– Brexit Budget – Grim Outlook As UK Economy Downgraded– Geopolitical Risk Highest "In Four Decades" – Gold Demand in Germany and Globally to Remain Robust– Gold Versus Bitcoin: The Pro-Gold Argument Takes Shape– Money and Markets Infographic Shows Silver Most Undervalued Asset– Is New Fed Chief A "Swamp Critter Extraordinaire"?– Deepening Crisis In Hyper-inflationary Venezuela and Zimbabwe– UK Debt Crisis Is Here – Consumer Spending, Employment and Sterling Fall While Inflation Takes Off– Protect Your Savings With Gold: ECB Propose End To Deposit Protection– Internet Shutdowns Show Physical Gold Is Ultimate Protection– Gold Coins and Bars Saw Demand Rise 17% to 222T in Q3– Prepare For Interest Rate Rises And Global Debt Bubble Collapse

Important Guides

For your perusal, below are our most popular guides in 2017:

Essential Guide To Storing Gold In Switzerland

Essential Guide To Storing Gold In Singapore

Essential Guide to Tax Free Gold Sovereigns (UK)

Please share our research with family, friends and colleagues who you think would benefit from being informed by it.

Source: Bitcoin $10,000 – Huge Volatility of Cryptocurrencies and Risky Fiat Making Gold Attractive

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6 Ways Life Is Better With Good Credit

Credit scores and credit health can seem inconsequential when you're young. It may be obvious that "good" credit is better than "bad" credit, but it's easy to underestimate the difference a few hundred points in your FICO credit score can make.

Once a young person gains their independence, however, the importance of credit may quickly become clear. Without decent credit, it may be difficult to reach many of life's important milestones. Plus, many of the transactions you make become a lot more expensive.

A FICO credit score is the number often used as an indicator of your credit health. According to FICO, "good" credit is a FICO score of 670 to 739, "very good" credit is a score between 740 and 799, and any FICO score higher than that — up to 850 — is considered "excellent." (See also: What Is a Good Credit Score and Why Is It Important?)

While these numbers may not mean a lot at first glance, they could matter more than you think. Here are six ways good credit can make your life easier.

1. You could qualify to rent or buy a home

When you apply to rent an apartment or home, chances are your landlord will require a credit check. Many landlords view negative marks on your credit report — such as foreclosures or accounts in default — as signs that you may not pay your rent on time. If you have bad credit or no credit reporting to speak of, it may be difficult to rent an apartment without a co-signer. (See also: 15 Surprising Ways Bad Credit Can Hurt You)

The same is true when it comes to purchasing a home. Without good credit, you may not be able to be approved for a mortgage. You might qualify for certain FHA loans if you have poor or fair credit, but the terms may not be ideal.

The bottom line: Building good credit makes life easier because it can help you buy or rent the place you want. (See also: 7 Ways to Raise Your Credit Score)

2. You might have a leg up in your job search

When you apply for a new job, your employer has the option to pull an "employer screening report" that highlights the general health of your credit. This isn't a full credit report, but it can still show your employer how well you have handled credit and borrowing in the past. That behavior may be especially important for jobs that involve handling financial information for a company or its customers. (See also: Here's How Your Credit Score Affects Your Job Search)

A potential employer won't see your actual FICO score, but they will see information such as bankruptcies, liens, and foreclosures. If you have poor credit and a potential employer checks, you could miss out on your dream job. On the flip side, having good credit means you have nothing to worry about. It could even give you an advantage over other job applicants.

3. You could qualify for lower interest rates

Want to buy a house with poor credit? Plan on forking over higher interest payments. According to the Experian blog, qualifying for the best mortgage rates typically requires very good to excellent credit. That means a score in the mid 700's or higher.

If your score is lower, you could end up with higher interest rates, meaning you'll have to make higher monthly payments for your loan. This is true not only for housing, but for many other big purchases you make, including financed vehicles or even private student loans.

Conversely, having good credit can help you qualify for loans with the lowest interest rates and best terms. This can help you save a significant amount of money over your lifetime. (See also: How to Rebuild Your Credit in 8 Simple Steps)

4. You may get the best rewards credit cards available

The best cash back credit cards and travel credit cards make it easy to earn cash back, airline miles, hotel points, or flexible travel credit. Depending on how much you spend on credit cards every year, these points could add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in rewards that are "free," provided you never carry a balance.

The thing is, you will not be able to qualify for the best rewards credit cards if your credit is poor or even average. Card issuers typically only approve people with good or excellent credit for the credit cards with the juiciest rewards and best perks. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards for People with Excellent Credit)

5. You can get better insurance rates

While poor credit won't stop you from driving, it can force you to pay a lot more for auto insurance. A recent Consumer Reports study highlighted how this works and why.

Besides looking at your driving record, auto insurance companies use a special credit score derived from your credit record to determine how risky you may be to insure. If you have poor credit, they may assume you're more likely to get in an accident and file a claim, even if you've never filed a claim in the past.

Unfortunately, even having just "good" credit can cause you to pay more for insurance than those with excellent credit. As Consumer Reports showed in its report, the average driver with "good" credit paid $214 more for insurance per year than a similar driver with "excellent" credit.

The bottom line: The best insurance rates go to those with the best credit. This is yet another way having stellar credit can help you save money.

6. You may enjoy more autonomy in life

One of the worst parts about having poor credit is the fact you're constantly beholden to others. You may need a co-signer to rent an apartment, buy a car, or finance a home, for example. If you can't find a co-signer for a car or home and can't qualify on your own, you may wind up living in less than desirable conditions or relying on less convenient means of transportation to get to work.

But, good credit offers a way out. With a FICO score that's considered very good or excellent, you can start living life on your own terms. Good credit makes it easier to borrow money affordably for nearly any goal, and all without outside help.

Good credit won't make you happy, but it can make life easier. It can also help you save money, which can absolutely make your life better. When you're not spending extra money on car insurance and interest payments, you may be able to afford more of what you truly want in life.

Poor credit may not seem like a big deal, but it could stand in the way of what you want somewhere down the line. If you know your credit needs work, the best plan of action is to take steps to improve it now. With some time and planning, you could be on your way to better credit — and a better life. (See also: 5 Ways Life Is Amazing With an 800 Credit Score)

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Source: 6 Ways Life Is Better With Good Credit

How to Utilize Social Media for your #Business or Personal Platform

How Female Entrepreneurs Can Take Advantage of Black Friday And Cyber Monday Despite social media taking ... t waste all your money buying disposable goods. Instead, use the season of deals to invest in your business and stay on track to becoming a bonafide #girlboss. Put yourself in a position to harness your personal economic ... read moreDeploying Entertaining Social Media Tools for Growth Arraying personal charisma ... and the people you allow into your social media space will affect you; so do not be afraid to block people who do not add value to you." Aladekomo emphasized that social media is a business and must be treated as such. read more5 Changes in Social Media That Can Pay Off Big Time For You in 2018 Whether you use these examples as inspiration or create your own lane, LinkedIn video could be a formidable channel for you to boost brand awareness on social media ... the platform is. 5. Context Cards on Snapchat. If your business was late to the ... read more

Which social media platform is best for your business? While that may be true, unless your company has a dedicated social media coordinator, finding the time to maintain every platform out there ... connections as possible. Use your second and third-degree connections to request personal introductions (when ... read more7 Ways to Use Social Listening to Generate Leads for Your Business All while keeping your finger on the pulse of your industry and the health of your brand. Today's post is sponsored by Brand24, a tool I use daily to listen across social media. If you're looking to generate leads for your business, grab their special ... read moreWays to Get Feedback about Your Business The internet and social media ... Use the tips mentioned to find out. Whether you work in public relations, photography or the tech field, getting feedback can serve as a compass to guide your future steps. Karen is a Nationally Syndicated Personal Finance ... read moreHow to Market Your Business For Small Business Saturday Spread the word out early about your business by communicating often with customers and your community via Facebook, Twitter, email newsletters, and on your website. For social media, use hashtags ... chosen charity. Your personal touch is what makes ... read moreHow to Be Productive and Organized With a Bullet Journal Productivity is crucial for home business ... social media tool. Use a page to keep track of your office supply needs.Whatever thoughts, ideas, or other things you want to keep track of or be reminded of can be stored in your bullet journal. Integrating ... read moreWhich Social Media Channels Should I Use For My Business? Sorry it's a little long, but I hope this will help you… A few tips: Tip #1: Look into each social media channel and determine which will work best for your business ... in recent years as a platform for breaking news. Use the great hashtag feature ... read moreChoosing the Best Social Media Platform for Your Business Choosing the best social media platform for ... Whether a business provides a physical service, intellectual service or physical product, it is advantageous to communicate with patrons and customers. Some businesses use social media to offer deals or ... read more

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Source: How to Utilize Social Media for your #Business or Personal Platform

Get Un-stuck And Make Real Money

In speaking with people all over the world, I've found hearing other people's struggles is a fascinating way to helping ourselves breakthrough. This week's episode is my keynote from CreativeLive's PhotoWeek. On stage, I sit down with four brave volunteers to discuss some of their biggest pain points, fears, and blind spots blocking us from living, and working toward our dreams.In this episode, I talk about:

Defining your dream. Many creatives haven't defined what they actually want. If you don't know what you want it will be hard for you to get it.

Understanding your why. When the going gets tough, and it will, your WHY is what will separate you from those who don't want it as bad as you.

I share some tactical steps to building a client base and portfolio that supports the work you want to be hired for.

If you like what I'm doing here on the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share with your community. That will help other people find it, and helps me in my mission to make the world a more creative place.

Until next week, enjoy!

Listen to the Podcast Subscribe 

This podcast is brought to you by CreativeLive. CreativeLive is the world's largest hub for online creative education in photo/video, art/design, music/audio, craft/maker, money/life and the ability to make a living in any of those disciplines. They are high quality, highly curated classes taught by the world's top experts — Pulitzer, Oscar, Grammy Award winners, New York Times best selling authors and the best entrepreneurs of our times.

Source: Get Un-stuck And Make Real Money

#Blog: #Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position

Blog: Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position David Flint and Rebecca Ferguson look at a second investigation into tech giant Google over exclusivity arrangements and other matters. Last year, the European Commission announced a series of investigations into Google's potentially anti-competitive ... read moreThe CBD Oil Boom: Making Money on Medical Marijuana for the Masses They're tapping into a profitable industry of over-the-counter health products ... a spokeswoman for the agency's Phoenix bureau, confirmed the position in early November. Marijuana has "a potential for abuse and there is no recognized, safe, and ... read moreGoogle under fire again from Europe's antitrust regulator over AdSense, comparison shopping (EC's own bolding) The other major area under the spotlight today ... these practices have enabled Google to protect its dominant position in online search advertising," it noted. "It has prevented existing and potential competitors, including ... read more

There Have Been So Many Bad Lefty Free-Speech Takes Lately The potential for abuse and confusion in such a system is ... I promise you, this is quite wrong, and is a very easy thing to Google! But again, it's that same formula: Johnston is apparently uninterested in answering questions pertaining to this ... read moreAsean chair a potential coming of age for Laos Laos, sandwiched by China, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, is under the spotlight this year as it chairs Asean. Some analysts say it is a potential coming of age for the relatively ... Because of its strategic position, Laos is emerging as a magnet for ... read moreDeath of Brisbane Grammar School teacher after sex abuse claim raises questions over the web as a path of justice Fifteen years later, another damaged man lashed out last week over events connected to the same two schools, again with deadly consequences. On this occasion the weapon used was not a rifle. It was a blog ... of the abuse of Sheehan has been under the ... read moreNew Google Maps Update Makes It Even Harder To Get Lost A new design update on Google Maps is here to help you out ... beneficial for people who struggle to find street names quickly or for anyone who has been a position where they're not 100 percent sure they're turning on the right street. read moreMental Health Under The Spotlight - The Power Of The Parent-School Partnership Taking note of what can be subtle changes to a child's conduct or demeanour over time makes it easier for schools to ... Issues such as these may be the first indication of a potential problem that needs addressing. When shared with parents, this ... read moreClout Street Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here. Topspin Kirk Dillard, the former Republican state senator who chairs the Regional ... read more

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Source: #Blog: #Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position

Mint Money Audit: Making the Most of a Side Hustle

This week's Mint audit introduces us to Selena, 48, a mom of two living in San Antonio, Texas. She is a community college director and her husband, 51, is a full-time graphic designer who also manages a booming side hustle in the same industry.

Selena and her husband have already achieved some impressive financial accomplishments, thanks to tracking their finances on Mint, leveraging coupons and shopping at thrift stores. They've paid off $52,000 in student loans and invested in a piece of land next door for $26,000, which they believe has appreciated by nearly 40% since purchasing it a few years ago.

But with retirement looming and two children (currently ages 9 and 12) to possibly put through college, Selena wants to learn about additional money moves that could better prepare them for future expenses. She would also love to pay off the family's 30-year mortgage before she retires in the next 10 to 12 years. Currently they're on track to pay it down by 2030.

First, a breakdown of their finances:

NET INCOME

Hers: $56,000

His: $40,000 plus an additional $40,000 in freelance work

Total: $136,000 per year

DEBT

Just paid off student loans and a property loan (for the lot next door)

Credit Card Debt: $0

Mortgage: $163,000 (Monthly payment, including real estate tax, is $1,985)

Car note: $5,300 (should be paid off within the year)

RETIREMENT SAVINGS

Selena's teacher pension: Roughly $5,000 per month at retirement if she retires in 12 years ($3,800 if she retires in 6 years).

Various IRAs between the two of them: $65,000

Estimated social security payments: $2,500 to $3,000 (combined)

Husband does not have a 401(k)

RAINY DAY SAVINGS

In an emergency, the family has at least six months of expenses saved up or roughly $35,000.

COLLEGE SAVINGS

Selena and her husband haven't specifically saved for their children's college education. They're concerned that a 529-college savings plan might limit their children's options, if they didn't choose to attend a traditional college program.

Recommendations

Leverage the Side Hustle

All in all, I think the family's finances are in solid shape. But if they're interested in further securing their future, I would suggest investing the annual side hustle income (which currently sits in a bank account earning no interest) to advance retirement savings and carve out an account for their two children.

Starting that side hustle was a very smart money move because it effectively boosted the family's net income by 40%. And according to Selena, the business, which they operate out of their living room, is only growing, with profits expected to grow another 30% in the future.

Income from side hustles is how I managed to pay off debt in my 20's and boost savings. Today, it's more prevalent among working Americans. More than 44 million Americans have a side revenue stream, according to a recent survey by Bankrate. "Having a side hustle is fiscally responsible," says Susie Moore, founder of the program Side Hustle Made Simple and the new book, "What If It Does Work Out: How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life." "It's an economic hedge that mitigates disruption to wealth building and future planning. There is no such thing as a fixed income," she says.

So, let's do some math and see how far this $40,000 per year side revenue stream can go using a compound interest calculator.

Retirement

The couple's retirement nest egg is not too shabby. Not including their existing IRAs, the couple has about $8,000 a month coming to them in retirement between social security and Selena's pension. That amount, alone, basically replaces their current full-time income. (And I do recommend Selena wait 12 years before retiring so that she can take advantage of the maximum pension payment.)

But with all the uncertainty around social security and future health care costs, it can't hurt to save a little more, right? By placing $6,500 in a Roth IRA each year for the next, say, 15 years (Selena's husband can qualify for the catch-up contribution since he is 5- years old), they'll have an additional $142,000 for retirement that won't be subject to taxes. This assumes an average annual return of 4%. They can open a Roth IRA at any bank.

Future Savings for Children

While a 529 plan may not be the best fit for this family, Selena still would like to carve out savings for her kids' future endeavors, be it to start a business or attend an alternative school. For this, I'd recommend opening a 5-year certificate of deposit or CD and placing $25,000 in it this year. The going yield right now for a 5-year CD at that deposit level is averaging a little more than 2%.

Then, every year, as income rolls in from the side hustle, create a new 5-year CD and deposit $25,000 in it. Do this for the next four or five years. All CDs will have matured by the time her youngest is starting college (or pursuing something else). And they'll have at least $100,000 plus interest reserved for their kids. If they do choose to go to college, the family's prepared to help pay for in-state tuition at one of the fine Texas universities.

Mortgage Payoff

After funding the Roth IRA each year ($6,500) and the annual CD contribution ($25,000), the family's left with $8,500. They could choose to put this toward the mortgage principal to knock a few years off their payoff schedule. Or, they may want to just hold onto it for that annual family vacation. And if I'm being honest, I'd say, go for the vacation! They deserve it!

Source: Mint Money Audit: Making the Most of a Side Hustle

184: 2 #Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My #Blogs Earnings by over 40%

184: 2 Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My Blogs Earnings by over 40% In today's lesson, I want to talk about two things I've been doing on my main blog to increase the profitability of the blog – both have been working really well! I'm going to talk about 3 income streams in particular – AdSense Ad network ... read moreNews Corp.'s CEO Hosts Investor Day Conference (Transcript) In retrospect, I could have done without the stress of nearly bankrupting the company and my family. But today, BSkyB has over ... increased our shareholding in Fox Sports that we now have of 100%. In making these acquisitions, we have not only acquired 2 ... read moreFacebook hits 2 billion users, earnings beat boosts stock: Live blog recap With about 5 minutes to the end of trading, Facebook is headed toward a relatively even day, up about 0.1% right now. read more

TripAdvisor Tops on Q3 Earnings by a Penny - Analyst Blog TripAdvisor Inc. ( TRIP) reported adjusted fourth-quarter 2013 earnings of ... Pacific region increased 40.0% to $32.0 million, representing 15.0% of total fourth-quarter revenue. TripAdvisor reported operating expenses of $184.2 million, up 50.5% from ... read more2017 Trends for Success – 5 Steps for Every Blogger With all of this in mind, let's take a look at five different things every blogger ... on it over time. 2017 is right around the corner. Before you know it, 2018 will be next. Plan out the best options for your blog right now, and have an action plan ... read moreYandex's (YNDX) CEO Arkady Volozh on Q2 2017 Results - Earnings Call Transcript And now, I am turning the call over to Alexander. Thank you, Katya, and hello, everyone. Thank you for joining our second quarter 2017 earnings ... blog, which we offer as a motivation tool in Turbo pages will increase several times, while the ad blogs ... read moreGeneral Electric Company : Earnings Review and Free Research Report: General Electric Q3 Top-line Surprised Market Forecasts Today, our research desk covers a blog ... 2.55 billion, or $0.29 per diluted share, compared to $2.87 billion, or $0.32 per diluted share, in Q3 FY16. Wall Street had expected non-GAAP earnings of $0.50 per diluted share. The Company's cost of sales ... read moreDiodes Incorporated Reports Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results We have ... 40 percent and operating margin of 20 percent. As a result of the strategic actions we have taken over the past few years, we have positioned the business to drive significant earnings expansion, serving as the basis for introducing these ... read moreThe Thing That Used to Be Conservatism Puts Out a Hit on Francis So his attacks on the Pope have been ill-received by the conservative Catholics he is try to poison against the Holy Father. What to do? Well, if there is one strategy I have seen deployed more than any other in my years ... press pored over a 12,000 ... read moreTop 5 rail-related stocks that are likely to benefit from Rail Budget 2016 NEW DELHI: Railway Minster Suresh Prabhu might have presented a reformist ... technology and is awaiting an increase in demand in order to realize full potential. "We expect the stock to deliver earnings CAGR of 55% over FY14-17E," Prabhudas Lilladher ... read more

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Source: 184: 2 #Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My #Blogs Earnings by over 40%

Why Boosting Your Facebook Posts Is Just Throwing Money Down the Drain

In this video, Entrepreneur Network partner Neil Patel explains why you shouldn't boost Facebook posts that drive traffic to your blog.

Why? Well, because by its very nature, the traffic you pay for probably won't come back unless you keep boosting your post and making it visible. As a result, you need to make sure you have a chance to actually get something from these people on their single visit for your site.

You could try to get some of their basic information -- perhaps an email for your mailing list -- but the more steps you need to take to get to a sale, the less likely you are to actually make one. That's why Patel advises to skip boosting the blog altogether and instead focus on paying to send people to your product page.

Click play to learn more.

Related: How to Get Your Website Ranked on Google News

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Click here to become a part of this growing video network.

Source: Why Boosting Your Facebook Posts Is Just Throwing Money Down the Drain

#Google is #Promoting and monetizing a #Website’s fake story about Keanu Reeves

Google is promoting and monetizing a website's fake story about Keanu Reeves | Latest News Google is promoting and monetizing a website's fake story about Keanu Reeves Google has a serious problem with promoting and monetizing fake news, as a recent fabricated story about actor Keanu Reeves has shown once again. The story, which originated from a fake news website, was still one of the first results for an incognito ... read moreNBC's Huge Games Tally "Our goal is to help content owners, and advertisers as well, understand where this content is being used and how to monetize it," said Mr. Zito ... The bank also is promoting a product called U.S. team banking, which makes a donation to the U.S. ... read more

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Source: #Google is #Promoting and monetizing a #Website's fake story about Keanu Reeves

Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Article on Getting Out of Joint: Some Jurisdictions Make It Difficult and Costly to Get Money from Joint Accounts

Alexander A. Bove Jr. & Molly R. Soiffer recently published an Article entitled, Getting Out of Joint: Some Jurisdictions Make It Difficult and Costly to Get Money from Joint Accounts, Trusts & Trustees, Vol. 23, Issue 2, April 2017.

By far, the joint bank account is the most common way for married couples and other close relatives to keep their liquid funds accessible to each other during their lives, and for many, on death as well. It is commonly understood in a number of jurisdictions that on the death of one of the joint owners, the survivor may freely access the balance in the account. Unfortunately, this is not the case in many jurisdictions around the world. In the latter group of jurisdictions, the survivor may be required to undertake court or other administrative action or to answer to other relatives of the deceased joint owner before gaining access to funds. Accordingly, it would be helpful for advisors who engage in cross-border planning to be aware of the rules in other jurisdictions. This discussion covers such rules in 17 of the more common jurisdictions.

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2017/11/article-on-getting-out-of-joint-some-jurisdictions-make-it-difficult-and-costly-to-get-money-from-jo.html

Articles, Estate Administration, Estate Planning - Generally | Permalink

Source: Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

184: 2 #Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My #Blogs Earnings by over 40%

184: 2 Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My Blogs Earnings by over 40% In today's lesson, I want to talk about two things I've been doing on my main blog to increase the profitability of the blog – both have been working really well! I'm going to talk about 3 income streams in particular – AdSense Ad network ... read moreFacebook hits 2 billion users, earnings beat boosts stock: Live blog recap With about 5 minutes to the end of trading, Facebook is headed toward a relatively even day, up about 0.1% right now. read moreNews Corp.'s CEO Hosts Investor Day Conference (Transcript) In retrospect, I could have done without the stress of nearly bankrupting the company and my family. But today, BSkyB has over ... increased our shareholding in Fox Sports that we now have of 100%. In making these acquisitions, we have not only acquired 2 ... read more

TripAdvisor Tops on Q3 Earnings by a Penny - Analyst Blog TripAdvisor Inc. ( TRIP) reported adjusted fourth-quarter 2013 earnings of ... Pacific region increased 40.0% to $32.0 million, representing 15.0% of total fourth-quarter revenue. TripAdvisor reported operating expenses of $184.2 million, up 50.5% from ... read more2017 Trends for Success – 5 Steps for Every Blogger With all of this in mind, let's take a look at five different things every blogger ... on it over time. 2017 is right around the corner. Before you know it, 2018 will be next. Plan out the best options for your blog right now, and have an action plan ... read moreYandex's (YNDX) CEO Arkady Volozh on Q2 2017 Results - Earnings Call Transcript And now, I am turning the call over to Alexander. Thank you, Katya, and hello, everyone. Thank you for joining our second quarter 2017 earnings ... blog, which we offer as a motivation tool in Turbo pages will increase several times, while the ad blogs ... read moreDiodes Incorporated Reports Third Quarter 2017 Financial Results We have ... 40 percent and operating margin of 20 percent. As a result of the strategic actions we have taken over the past few years, we have positioned the business to drive significant earnings expansion, serving as the basis for introducing these ... read moreTop 5 rail-related stocks that are likely to benefit from Rail Budget 2016 NEW DELHI: Railway Minster Suresh Prabhu might have presented a reformist ... technology and is awaiting an increase in demand in order to realize full potential. "We expect the stock to deliver earnings CAGR of 55% over FY14-17E," Prabhudas Lilladher ... read moreSpillin' The Beans: Ryan Spilborghs weighs in on the complex issues of PEDs So this my newest blog post. I'm gonna stick my neck out a bit ... (ask anyone who has ever taken my blood or my wife, she will run me over with the best of them). 2. I have always believed I was a better player than everyone else, and I like to work. read moreImperial Brands says expanded U.S. operations met expectations in first year up from $2.57 billion in fiscal 2015. "Cooper has today set a tough benchmark by which Imperial will be measured, as she said the group will remained committed to this level of increase over the medium term," Pope said. Other analysts have questioned ... read more

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Source: 184: 2 #Blog Monetization Strategies that Have Increased My #Blogs Earnings by over 40%

The 5 Most Important Trade Show Investments to Generate a Strong ROI

It's the time of year when companies are forming their marketing strategies, and there's never been more competition for marketing dollars. Website investments, mobile strategies, social media, SEO, print, PR, podcasting, blogging, and book-writing are just some of the competing strategies.

Still, the average company allocates about 32% of their marketing budget to exhibiting and trade show events, and more than $24 billion is spent annually by U.S. exhibitors. 

81% of trade show attendees have buying authority and purchasing power. Yet surprisingly, 70% of exhibitors set no specific objectives or strategies for their trade show participation. Instead, they wing it.

92% of trade show attendees go to learn about new products; however only 13% of exhibitors introduce their new products or services at trade shows. 

Knowing that the majority of attendees have purchasing power and are looking for something new and exciting, there are steps your company can take, and investments you can make, to ensure your reps capture leads that are ready to sign on the dotted line.

Invest in Prime Real Estate on the Floor.

Grab the best location possible. We have all walked the trade show floors, only to stop and turn around before we get to the last aisles. Invest in a corner booth, a booth near the main entrances, or near the best refreshments. Foot traffic is key at a trade show. 

Invest in a Great Giveaway.

Give people a reason to turn over their card to you. Invest in one or two high end giveaways that set you apart from everyone else, rather than several giveaways that are available everywhere. In addition, give away a small item that everyone can use that will keep you top of mind. Items such as portable chargers, first-aid kits, hand sanitizers, and decent pens are some possibilities. 

Invest in a Strong Marketing Staff.

Staff your booth with a team that really wants to be there - the most outgoing extroverts that can best represent your company. Trade shows are for marketing first, and selling second, so ensure a strong handoff between those that generate leads and those that will follow up to close.

Invest in Pre-Show Marketing.

Spread the word to the right people that you will be at the show. Never assume that your top customers will simply stop by the booth. Extend them personal invitations so that they know they are a top priority. Set up one-on-one meetings with attendees or partners before you get to the show. Include information on your website, include your plan in customer emails or newsletters, and share your attendance plans via social media. 

If your budget allows, arrange for an invite-only event, such as a happy hour or dinner, and provide lots of advance notice and promotion of the exclusive event. 

Invest Your Time and Money in A Strong Follow Up System.

Invest in a system to capture and digitize attendee information immediately. Collecting business cards is great but they are useless if there is no follow-up. Assume your competitors are using a digitized process to capture lead information, and will be setting follow-up appointments while they are still at the show. Assign follow-up to specific trade show workers so no leads fall through the cracks.

Avoid These Mistakes. 

Finally, avoid these common trade show mistakes:

Stay off your devices. Be present. 

Don't stay chained to your booth - but have back-up. Never leave your booth unattended. 

Don't give away anything without capturing attendee information.

Don't display a product that isn't market-ready.

Trade shows are great investments for companies that are prepared to invest wisely in their pre-show, show, and post-show marketing. Follow these guidelines and you will enjoy the ROI almost as much as the show! 

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Source: The 5 Most Important Trade Show Investments to Generate a Strong ROI

Bigo Live: This popular live video blogging app is filled with obscene content

Waqar Khan, an executive at a leading telecom company, came across an application called 'Bigo Live' where he could talk to women via live video earlier this year. Days later, he found himself addicted to the app, browsing different windows of live streams (mostly the ones with obscene images of women).

"I uninstalled the app after using it for some days. The app sought a subscription fee for actually video-chatting with the women," Waqar told me with much disappointment.

Waqar, however, isn't the only person hooked to Bigo Live, which claims to have 150 million users around the world. The application is listed between the download range of 100,000,000-500,000,000, no small feat for an application that was launched just over a year ago.

Developed by Singapore-based BIGO TECHNOLOGY PTE LTD, Bigo Live is essentially a live video blogging application where one can live broadcast anything they are up to. Sporting an interface similar to Periscope and Meerkat, Bigo Live also allows users to monetise their live streams through in-app gifts that can be encashed for real money. To cash out, a live streamer needs to have at least 6,700 beans in their account.

The in-app purchases range from Rs 69 to Rs 6,000 on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Driven by an innovative concept and gamification element, Bigo Live is popular in South East countries. "Initially launched in March 2016, BIGO LIVE became the most popular App and ranked #1 in Apple App Store and Google Play in the Thailand market since launch," the company says.

Bigo Live: Obscenity

However, in India, the application has become a platform for obscene content -- with mostly men flocking to live-stream windows of women responding to their comments and video calls. A quick glance at the application shows multiple thumbnails featuring objectionable images of women.

While some of the live streams are "harmless" ones of women or men dancing or doing random things, some feature women making innuendos and lewd gestures. At the bottom of the live stream screen, you'll notice a flurry of messages asking the women to perform certain activities or respond to their messages (similar to comments on a live video on Facebook).

I opened a live stream of a vlogger called "Tannu", who could be seen lying in bed in her night gown. The camera mostly focused on her breasts. The screen displayed a phone number where she demanded the transfer of a certain amount of money in her Paytm account, after which would make a WhatsApp video call to the person concerned. In one of the other live streams, I saw two people (in short windows on the side) hurling choice abuses at each other in Hindi on a live video call.

Screenshots of Bigo Live recommendations and live stream thumbnails. (Bigo Live)

Surprisingly, the live stream screen pops up with a message that says: "Be polite and respectful. Any display of smoking, vulgarity, pornography and nudity is prohibited on Bigo Live. The account of violators will be banned. Moderators inspect the content 24 hours (a day)."

But the moderators seem to be asleep, given the borderline pornography widely prevalent in the application.

On YouTube, a quick search "bigo live girls" displays a number of results claiming to be screen recording of live streams. As expected, the results are mostly of women with captions such as "Hot Girl Bigo Live 88" and "Bigo live Girl Nipple Showing | 18+."

Bypassing Google Guidelines

The listing on Apple's App Store, however, clearly mentions that the app has "Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity; Infrequent/Mild Realistic Violence; and Frequent/Intense Mature/Suggestive Themes."

Google's Play Store, which has much larger presence in India, just rates the app as "12+, parental guidance recommended."

Google's 12+ rating means: "Violence involving fantasy characters and/or non-graphic violence involving human-looking characters or animals is permitted. Non-graphic nudity, mild language and simulated gambling are also permitted, but sexual expletives are not."

Google clearly mentions on its policy website for app developers that it doesn't allow "apps that contain or promote sexually explicit content, such as pornography. In general, we don't allow content or services intended to be sexually gratifying".

Here are some examples of common violations: Depictions of sex acts or sexually suggestive poses; Promotional images of sex toys; promoting sexually explicit user-generated content; content that depicts, describes or encourages bestiality; apps that promote escort services or other services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.

Google Play Store still has a lot of sexually expletive content, violating its policies. (Google)

Apps like Bigo Live, which easily surpassing Google's scanner, are no new phenomenon. The Google Play Store is already flooded with apps that promote obscenity and sexually suggestive content.

Back in February 2016, an app to enlarge your genitals trended on Play Store in India. At the moment, there are apps called Meli Videos, Love Chat Hot Girls, 2017 Ki Sachi Sexy Kahaniya, Sachi Desi Kahaniya, and so on. Tapping on any of these apps will show you a list of mirror apps that sell similar content.

As far as Bigo Live goes, it is listed in the top free Android apps on India's Google Play store.

Source: Bigo Live: This popular live video blogging app is filled with obscene content

#Blog: #Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position

Blog: Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position David Flint and Rebecca Ferguson look at a second investigation into tech giant Google over exclusivity arrangements and other matters. Last year, the European Commission announced a series of investigations into Google's potentially anti-competitive ... read moreThe CBD Oil Boom: Making Money on Medical Marijuana for the Masses They're tapping into a profitable industry of over-the-counter health products ... a spokeswoman for the agency's Phoenix bureau, confirmed the position in early November. Marijuana has "a potential for abuse and there is no recognized, safe, and ... read moreGoogle under fire again from Europe's antitrust regulator over AdSense, comparison shopping (EC's own bolding) The other major area under the spotlight today ... these practices have enabled Google to protect its dominant position in online search advertising," it noted. "It has prevented existing and potential competitors, including ... read more

There Have Been So Many Bad Lefty Free-Speech Takes Lately The potential for abuse and confusion in such a system is ... I promise you, this is quite wrong, and is a very easy thing to Google! But again, it's that same formula: Johnston is apparently uninterested in answering questions pertaining to this ... read moreThe Opioid Abuse Epidemic: What's The Investment Angle? The opioid abuse epidemic ... outside the realm of some blog or article. Since half of the ten FDA approved ADFs are owned by two privately-held firms, it is worth mentioning them as context, even if not for investment potential. To that point, the FDA ... read moreAsean chair a potential coming of age for Laos Laos, sandwiched by China, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, is under the spotlight this year as it chairs Asean. Some analysts say it is a potential coming of age for the relatively ... Because of its strategic position, Laos is emerging as a magnet for ... read moreNew Google Maps Update Makes It Even Harder To Get Lost A new design update on Google Maps is here to help you out ... beneficial for people who struggle to find street names quickly or for anyone who has been a position where they're not 100 percent sure they're turning on the right street. read moreGoogle Australia boss Maile Carnegie: People, get ready If you google beyond the first page, you'll find a few blog grumbles about the wisdom of appointing ... Others are growing wary of the potential for Google to abuse its position as a database for vast amounts of users' personal information, collected ... read moreGoogle's San Jose renewal plan: 'Grand Central of the West' And the project would elevate San Jose's position ... The concept of a Google transit village in downtown San Jose comes at a time when tech companies continue to face fierce competition to attract and retain employees. They are under pressure to do ... read moreDeath of Brisbane Grammar School teacher after sex abuse claim raises questions over the web as a path of justice Fifteen years later, another damaged man lashed out last week over events connected to the same two schools, again with deadly consequences. On this occasion the weapon used was not a rifle. It was a blog ... of the abuse of Sheehan has been under the ... read more

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Source: #Blog: #Google under the spotlight again over potential abuse of position