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Economics & Investing / Say goodbye to globalization as ‘The Age of Disorder’ is coming – Deutsche Bank
« on: September 16, 2020, 11:56:17 AM »
The four-decade era of globalization may be coming to an end, and we could be entering “The Age of Disorder,” which will reshape both economies and politics, Deutsche Bank analysts have said in a new research note.
https://www.rt.com/business/500333-age-of-disorder-deutsche-bank/
https://www.rt.com/business/500333-age-of-disorder-deutsche-bank/
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Traffic / Senators Call Google ‘Monopoly Upon Monopoly’ as DOJ Case Nears
« on: September 16, 2020, 11:47:44 AM »
The Justice Department and state attorneys general have been asking increasingly detailed questions about how Google uses discounts, restrictions and bundling to encourage advertisers and publishers to use only its products instead of mixing and matching with competing services, Bloomberg has reported.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/senators-call-google-monopoly-upon-monopoly-as-doj-case-nears/ar-BB194Bsx
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/senators-call-google-monopoly-upon-monopoly-as-doj-case-nears/ar-BB194Bsx
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Economics & Investing / Mining on the Moon will be biggest 'economic revolution' in history, expert says
« on: September 15, 2020, 11:35:23 AM »
NASA announced it will pay up between $15,000 to $25,000 for rock samples weighing between 50 to 500 grams from the Moon's surface.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/mining-moon-biggest-economic-revolution-22684856
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/mining-moon-biggest-economic-revolution-22684856
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Economics & Investing / Venezuela Faces The Real Possibility Oil Production Dropping To Zero
« on: September 02, 2020, 11:27:29 AM »
Just over two decades ago, Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution commenced when Hugo Chavez won the 1998 presidential elections and was formally sworn into office in February 1999. He immediately introduced a new constitution focused on establishing a state-run economy, land reform, the redistribution of wealth and using the country’s vast oil wealth to fund extensive social programs. When Chavez took power Venezuela, which has the world’s largest oil reserves totaling 298 billion barrels, was one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America.
https://beta.finance.yahoo.com/news/venezuela-faces-real-possibility-oil-200000990.html
https://beta.finance.yahoo.com/news/venezuela-faces-real-possibility-oil-200000990.html
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Water Cooler / As many Americans stopped commuting, traffic remains reduced
« on: August 28, 2020, 10:57:48 AM »About three in 10 consumers with a motor vehicle said they no longer have a commute due to COVID-19, either because they’re working from home (19%) or they were laid off or furloughed (10%).
The number of drivers who get gas weekly dropped by 26% in August versus prior to the pandemic. In January and February, 43% of drivers said they filled up at least once a week, but just 32% said they currently do so that frequently. At the same time, the number of drivers who fill up their tank less often than once per month doubled from 4% to 8%.
More than a quarter of drivers made cost-cutting changes to their auto insurance amid the pandemic. About 14% switched to another provider that was offering better deals, 12% reduced the amount of coverage since they are driving less and 3% took one of their household’s vehicles off the policy because their family is using fewer cars.
More than one in six consumers stopped using rideshare services like Lyft and Uber altogether due to the pandemic. An additional 13% said they’re still using those services, but much less frequently.
https://www.valuepenguin.com/commutes-plummet-after-coronavirus#commute
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Water Cooler / South China Sea Discussion
« on: August 25, 2020, 10:29:13 AM »
The South China Sea dispute explained. Just one explanation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=8eqtl0ym1p8&feature=emb_logo&fbclid=IwAR0KfuZYJQKhN1-iBBR-YHv7LCdfZyWRM3M6EqmQ_CeeZT5gi4fra1iuqr0
U.S.-Republic of China (Taiwan) Mutual Defense Treaty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-American_Mutual_Defense_Treaty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=8eqtl0ym1p8&feature=emb_logo&fbclid=IwAR0KfuZYJQKhN1-iBBR-YHv7LCdfZyWRM3M6EqmQ_CeeZT5gi4fra1iuqr0
U.S.-Republic of China (Taiwan) Mutual Defense Treaty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-American_Mutual_Defense_Treaty
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Economics & Investing / Uber Threatens To Shut Down California Business If Appeal Isn't Approved
« on: August 12, 2020, 02:42:56 PM »
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/uber-threatens-shut-down-california-business-if-appeal-isnt-approved
Uber has warned that it may need to hike prices up to 111% after a San Francisco judge ruled on Monday that the ride-sharing company, as well as its competitor Lyft, must classify its drivers as employees
Uber has warned that it may need to hike prices up to 111% after a San Francisco judge ruled on Monday that the ride-sharing company, as well as its competitor Lyft, must classify its drivers as employees
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Marketing / Hookup between Simon Property Group, Amazon
« on: August 10, 2020, 10:03:37 AM »
Amazon and Mall Operator Look at Turning Sears, J.C. Penney Stores Into Fulfillment Centers
https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-and-giant-mall-operator-look-at-turning-sears-j-c-penney-stores-into-fulfillment-centers-11596992863
‘To replace department stores, mall owners considered schools, medical offices and senior living. With the current pandemic, industrial is the only thing left now.’
https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-and-giant-mall-operator-look-at-turning-sears-j-c-penney-stores-into-fulfillment-centers-11596992863
‘To replace department stores, mall owners considered schools, medical offices and senior living. With the current pandemic, industrial is the only thing left now.’
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Economics & Investing / Google invested $450 million — acquiring a 6.6% stake — in ADT
« on: August 04, 2020, 10:44:56 AM »
Google invested $450 million — acquiring a 6.6% stake — in home security provider ADT
https://www.protocol.com/google-smart-speaker-alarm-adt
https://www.protocol.com/google-smart-speaker-alarm-adt
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Water Cooler / The Cedars Lodge & Spa in Hendersonville, N.C.
« on: July 31, 2020, 10:17:07 AM »
Someday, years from now, a resident will wake up in their luxury condominium at developer Gregg Covin’s The Cedars Lodge & Spa in Hendersonville, N.C. They’ll make breakfast on the island in their big kitchen and sit on their heated balcony. They’ll walk out of their private entrance and use an elevator that serves only three other units. They’ll work out in a series of small exercise rooms and gather with friends at a restaurant in a glass atrium.
Hopefully, Covid-19 will be a distant memory. But every aspect of these homes will have been shaped by the pandemic.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-buildings-will-look-like-after-the-covid-crisis-11596040879
Hopefully, Covid-19 will be a distant memory. But every aspect of these homes will have been shaped by the pandemic.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-buildings-will-look-like-after-the-covid-crisis-11596040879
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Traffic / 41% of the first page of Google search results is taken up by Google products.
« on: July 29, 2020, 10:19:00 AM »
A trending search in our data for “myocardial infarction” shows how Google has piled up its products at the top. It returned:
Google’s dictionary definition.
A “people also ask” box that expanded to answer related questions without leaving the search results page.
A “knowledge panel,” which is an abridged encyclopedia entry with various links.
And a “related conditions” carousel leading to various new Google searches for other diseases.
All of these appeared before search results by WebMD, Harvard University, and Medscape. In fact, a user would have to scroll nearly halfway down the page—about 42 percent—before reaching the first “organic” result in that search.
https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-search-results-prioritize-google-products-over-competitors
Google’s dictionary definition.
A “people also ask” box that expanded to answer related questions without leaving the search results page.
A “knowledge panel,” which is an abridged encyclopedia entry with various links.
And a “related conditions” carousel leading to various new Google searches for other diseases.
All of these appeared before search results by WebMD, Harvard University, and Medscape. In fact, a user would have to scroll nearly halfway down the page—about 42 percent—before reaching the first “organic” result in that search.
https://themarkup.org/google-the-giant/2020/07/28/google-search-results-prioritize-google-products-over-competitors
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Hardware & Technology / Inside the NSA’s Secret Tool for Mapping Your Social Network
« on: May 26, 2020, 10:00:31 AM »
Edward Snowden revealed the agency’s phone-record tracking program. But thanks to “precomputed contact chaining,” that database was much more powerful than anyone knew.
https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-nsas-secret-tool-for-mapping-your-social-network/
https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-nsas-secret-tool-for-mapping-your-social-network/
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Hardware & Technology / world record internet speed of 44.2 terabits per second
« on: May 23, 2020, 12:01:07 PM »
Researchers in Australia have achieved a world record internet speed of 44.2 terabits per second, allowing users to download 1,000 HD movies in a single second.
A team from Monash, Swinburne and RMIT universities used a “micro-comb” optical chip containing hundreds of infrared lasers to transfer data across existing communications infrastructure in Melbourne.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/internet-speed-world-record-fastest-download-a9527236.html
A team from Monash, Swinburne and RMIT universities used a “micro-comb” optical chip containing hundreds of infrared lasers to transfer data across existing communications infrastructure in Melbourne.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/internet-speed-world-record-fastest-download-a9527236.html
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Marketplaces / France to impose digital tax with or without international agreement
« on: May 19, 2020, 10:46:08 AM »
France will tax big digital businesses this year whether there is progress or not towards an international deal on a levy, its finance minister said on Thursday, adding such a tax had never been more legitimate or more necessary.
Nearly 140 countries from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are negotiating the first major rewriting of tax rules in more than a generation, to take better account of the rise of big tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Google that often book profit in low-tax countries.
https://www.france24.com/en/20200514-france-to-impose-digital-tax-with-or-without-international-agreement
Nearly 140 countries from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are negotiating the first major rewriting of tax rules in more than a generation, to take better account of the rise of big tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Google that often book profit in low-tax countries.
https://www.france24.com/en/20200514-france-to-impose-digital-tax-with-or-without-international-agreement