How Payroll Platforms Can Influence Your Company’s Bottom Line

November 24, 2021

Payroll processes are a crucial component of most company structures, and yet we may not fully consider the effect that these processes can have on the health of a company’s bottom line. Below we round up how incorporating a payroll platform into your business model could make a big difference to your end-of-year balance sheet.

Accountancy Charges

Using a payroll platform (a digital platform that provides payroll solutions to help manage the entire process) can help your company to reduce accountancy charges. This is due to the fact that you will be submitting to your accountant a set of reliable figures via the platform, which the tool will have calculated. If you pay an hourly fee for your account’s services, then you can expect to see a drastic drop in these charges.

Some platforms may negate the need to employ an accountant’s services in relation to your payroll affairs entirely.

Ensures Compliance

Late or inaccurate payroll filing or filing payroll information in a form that does not officially comply with legal requirements can result in a substantial fine being levied on your business. Using a payroll platform is a useful way of avoiding these penalties; most platforms will automatically calculate the correct amount of money payable for all the relevant taxes that need to be paid. Find out more regarding how a payment platform can help your business remain compliant with all the necessary legal requirements and ensure accurate returns and payments to staff members every single time.

Staff Time

Having an efficiently running payroll can save you time in terms of workforce hours lost. For example, a manual system may necessitate a member of staff having to spend a significant time each month rooting through files and folders to locate an essential piece of information or an old salary stub. An in-house computerized system has the potential of requiring duplication of data, which also costs in terms of staff time lost to this task. If you add up the hours spent on these sorts of functions and the hourly rate you’re paying for this time, it may well become clear that a payroll platform could be financing itself within a very short space of time. The reduction in the need for data entry and the creation of reports and other documents further help in hourly time savings, and can free staff up to be engaged in more useful (and profitable) assignments.

Security Considerations

The lack of security around an in-house payroll system can leave your business open to fraud and hacking, both of which are likely to incur significant expenses and be catastrophic in terms of compromising personal staff information. A payroll platform will, in most cases, feature enhanced digital protocols that will be regularly and automatically updated to ensure that all payroll details are stored safely.

The cost to remedy a security breach, not to mention the effect such an incident can have on staff morale and the public perception of your company, is likely to be very high.

Tax Updates

Most payroll platforms will automatically update and adjust as necessary when it comes to tax. This is a compelling reason to consider installing digital payroll processes, as, should you miss an update to tax, your business will end up paying the incorrect charges from that point onwards. If you’ve underpaid, a significant bill will be lurking up ahead for you, which won’t help the health of your bottom line. Similarly, this facility means that your business won’t be at risk of ever over-paying tax, therefore committing money unnecessarily that would be better spent elsewhere. Although overpaid tax is always repaid, this can take some time.

No Training Required

The very nature of payroll platforms is that their software does all the work and calculations for you, so staff do not need to be specifically trained to use this tool. This serves to negate the cost of both initial and ongoing training. Where in-house or manual payroll practices are used, the member of staff responsible for payroll administration going off sick could cause significant problems to an office, possibly necessitating the need to employ expensive temporary payroll-trained agency staff.

Eradicates Errors

Ensuring that your employees are consistently paid correctly and that the appropriate tax rates are applied to each member of staff is vital so that you can be confident that your balance sheet is a true reflection of the financial state of your business and that errors in payroll administration and reporting aren’t skewing the figures. Inaccurate data that affects your business’s balance sheet can, down the line, result in making decisions that, due to being based on these figures, don’t work out for the best.

Automated employee time logging, which many payroll platforms offer, also totally eradicates the possibility of staff members recording inaccurate start or end times and gives you peace of mind knowing that all employee benefits are being administered accurately, saving you the money that could otherwise be lost to inaccurate entries.

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What Helps a Startup Business: Copywriting or Content writing?

November 24, 2021

By Joy Gomez

Startup businesses, irrespective of the genre, have begun trending all around the world. Anyone with an innovative mind and unique business plan is capable and has begun a business. Whether startups or Microsoft, every business requires words to embrace their brand and enhance their business. While both play different roles in a business, they belong to the same art; writing.

As a startup, there are a lot of decisions that await your approval and choices. If you wonder what could help with your startup business marketing and an effective tool for your online platform, let us help you make the right decision.

Writing is an important marketing scheme, and strategy requires attention and proper planning. Any form of writing, from catchphrases to blogs, highlights your business’s standard, vision, and what you stand for. Words put out on the internet can never be taken back. This is why the choice between copywriting and content writing is essential.

This blog will enlighten your mind on

What is copywriting?
What should a copywriter know?
What is content writing?
What should a content writer know?
What is the difference between copywriting and content writing?
Which is better for a startup business?
Conclusion

What is Copywriting?

Irrespective of whether your business runs is online or offline, one of the crucial parts of marketing is copywriting. Copywriting is the skill of delivering words with a proper strategy to invite readers and listeners to action. This skill determines the traffic of the website as well as the view of the users. Copywriting represents the business or organization in words, which is an effective form of marketing a product or brand. Copywriting also aims to convert readers into buyers. This marketing scheme presents more persuasive content that encourages the reader to read further, know more or click on the link provided. In general, it strives to make or create a difference in sales and produce results for its marketing strategy.

Examples of copywriting include advertisements, posters, email, website landing pages.

What should a copywriter know?

The significant skills of a copywriter begin with creating a catchy headline. This is the first part readers are exposed to and the driving factor of the entire article or written piece. Another vital skill is to use the correct technical terms that are focused on the target audience. The primary aim of a copywriter is to create intense conversions and promote sales through their copywriting. Always make sure that your copywriting has a strong CTA – Call To Action cause it gets the job done. Adding questions or asking suggestions or feedback from the readers can help build a connection and understand the readers better.

What is Content writing?

If you enjoy writing, challenging yourself, and having fun with words, content writing is a suitable career path for you. Content writing refers to the long form of writing that informs and educates the audience about a particular subject. Content writing requires concentration, understanding, and keen focus on the field of the topic. A well-researched content has higher chances of trending on google searches. Content writing aims to interest and inform the audience to increase network, increase website traffic, and build relationships. Quality content opens doors for users to gain interest in what you offer as an institution and an organization.

Examples of content are website blogs, articles, newsletters and reports.

What should a content writer know?

As a writer, there are various ways you can inform, but as a content writer, you would require a particular skeleton and style to help the customers and readers comprehend the content. One of the primary knowledge a content writer requires is the AP (Associated Press) style. It is also essential to understand the audience and what kind of content they prefer to read. Another critical point is to use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) words and popular keywords that attract website traffic. This helps increase the position of your website content on the google search page. A sharp and engaging title can also help with the view time of your content. Also, nowadays, with recent trends in AI, being AI seo writer became more than relevant. That involves usage of AI for content creation process to create content in a faster and more efficient way. Finally, make sure to promote your content through social media platforms with people of the same niche and community.

What are the differences between copywriting and content writing?

The primary difference between the two is their function. Copywriting sells your products and services to the target audience while content writing entertains and educates the readers.
Copywriting invites the readers to take any action, think, or respond to their content, while content writing is a one-way communication for marketing that informs the audience.
Copywriting is short and crisp, like in ads, slogans, or taglines. Content writing prefers more than 500 words, just like the one you’re reading. It is published in the form of blogs, articles, newsletters, reports, etc.
Copywriting is short-lived and is effective for the period, while content writing lasts as long as the website exists on online platforms. It is relevant irrespective of the time period.
Copywriting has immediate answers and direct solutions to problems and leads readers to the product or the page. Content writing provides detailed answers and complete information about the issue and does not lead you anywhere.

Which is the best for a startup business?

Although both are equally important, Copywriting is the most preferred form of marketing for a startup. This is only because copywriting is more focused on attracting the target audience with minimal effort and challenges. It can be easily created and does not take much time. It does not require much research but can increase the traffic to your website. As a startup, you aim to increase your audience and convert them into customers, and copywriting is your best option.

However, once you progress, content writing can come in handy with informing and entertaining your customers. It can provide information and solve all their doubts with detailed explanations for everything. Blogs and content are the best forms to understand the website quality and standards of your startup.

While copywriting helps in the initial stages, content writing is helpful in the long run to ensure your audience is occupied and stays connected with your brand.

In conclusion, copywriting and content writing have powers of their own. Copywriting plays a significant role in establishing a startup business in the market. It helps with inviting the readers to perform an action favorable to the business and increase sales. Content writing serves customers with information and knowledge, something relevant to anyone on the internet. They both support the business to grow, increase traffic and promote their brand effectively.

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About the Author

Code is the central element that governs Joy Gomez’s universe; how he thinks, and how he lives. He is a self-taught, process-driven programmer and a first-generation immigrant from Southern India. He has completed engineering school while working full time with generous support and scholarships from employers due to his high productivity and drive. He is and has a Black belt in Lean Six Sigma. He has created Field Promax to pursue his natural-born expertise – code, streamline processes, and code more.

Corporate Insolvencies Increasing as Government Support Ebbs Away

November 24, 2021

By Lucy Trott and Tim Carter

In the last 18 months, while the world shut down and COVID-19 took hold, extraordinary measures were put in place to support businesses and individuals struggling with a lack of income and ongoing bills to pay. As a (somewhat surprising) result, there has been a marked decrease in the rate of corporate insolvencies in the UK since the onset of the first lockdown. Rates have been creeping up since the end of 2020, but they are only now approaching pre-pandemic levels. Although government support has been available throughout the pandemic, those measures are now being scaled back as we settle into the ‘new normal’. Many businesses and SMEs in particular have not seen a return to the levels of profit they previously enjoyed, and are facing high amounts of historic debt which they will shortly be required to pay. Against this backdrop, we consider the latest insolvency statistics and what steps SMEs could be taking to protect their position in this difficult market.

The latest insolvency statistics

The UK’s latest quarterly company insolvency statistics covering Q3 2021 reveal a 17% increase in company insolvencies overall since the previous quarter, which is a jump of 43% from the same period in 2020.

Following the introduction of restrictions on the presentation of winding up petitions in June 2020 (under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020), compulsory liquidations are still significantly below the levels seen even a year ago. The same is true for administrations and company voluntary arrangements (reduced 56% and 68% respectively since Q3 2020). The driving force behind the increasing levels of corporate insolvencies is the vast number of companies entering into creditors’ voluntary liquidation (CVL). So why the huge increase in CVLs in particular?

A CVL is a process instigated by company directors, who, having considered the finances of the company, have taken the decision that the company is unable to service its debts and cannot continue trading. When companies are generally struggling to pay their creditors, we might ordinarily expect an increase in creditor action and a rise in compulsory liquidations across the board to follow. While restrictions on presenting winding up petitions have eased from 1 October 2021, there has not been sufficient time for this to filter through into winding up orders being made. Commercial rent arrears remain an ‘excluded debt’ which cannot currently be pursued through winding up proceedings; however, that exclusion is due to come to an end in March 2022 when many SMEs will find themselves with huge debts, which they are simply unable to pay. Directors are therefore facing difficult decisions now as to whether their businesses will remain viable in the forthcoming months and what positive action they can take to protect their position in light of their duties.

What should businesses be doing?

First and foremost, directors should regularly review the company’s finances and carry out projections to ensure that the company is able to meet its debt obligations, both in the short and longer-term. They must hold regular board meetings, keep minutes of any discussions around company finances and document any decisions that are made. If the company does end up in an insolvency process, this will stand directors in good stead to reduce the risk of personal liability.

When dealing with problem debts, early engagement is key. As noted above, landlords cannot currently commence winding up proceedings for commercial rent arrears, but directors should consider how any arrears can be cleared and come up with a repayment plan in anticipation of the restrictions being lifted. A new rent arbitration scheme is due to be implemented from April 2022 to deal with commercial rent arrears, which is expected to assist parties in reaching a compromise in any event.

For businesses with historic tax debt, it may be possible to reach a Time to Pay arrangement with HMRC, so long as the business is otherwise viable as a going concern and able to meet its other ongoing debt obligations. HMRC has recently indicated that they do not intend to rush back to enforcement action post-pandemic, but it will take action where there is a failure to seek support or to engage with them regarding unpaid debts.

Finally, for SMEs who cannot reach agreement with their creditors and/or for those who are concerned that their business may no longer be viable, support should be sought from a licensed insolvency practitioner (“IP”) and/or insolvency lawyer, who can give advice about all the available options.

Tools at your disposal

As noted above, we await details of the widely-anticipated rent arbitration scheme, which is due to be implemented in the new year to deal with unpaid rent during the pandemic. The scheme is anticipated to include ring-fencing of “COVID arrears” accrued during periods when businesses were forced to close during lockdown, together with reductions in rent to reflect the drop in turnover for tenant businesses. The scheme is expected to strike a delicate balance based on affordability, so an early discussion with landlords is advised, where appropriate.

In terms of additional finance, the Government has just announced an extension to the recovery loans scheme (“RLS”) (until June 2022), which is specifically targeted at SMEs. From 1 January, the finance available under the extended RLS will be supported by a 70% government guarantee (rather than 80% now), and the finance available to each business under the RLS will be capped at £2m (reduced from £10m now).

For registered companies or limited partnerships in need of a short breathing space to assess their options, a Part 1A moratorium (overseen by an IP appointed as “monitor”) might be beneficial. A moratorium can be obtained through a simple court filing where the company is unable to pay its debts and the monitor certifies that the moratorium would result in rescue of the company as a going concern. A Part 1A moratorium does not prevent enforcement action by financial creditors, but could otherwise be a useful tool where the business is viable on an ongoing basis.

For any directors or businesses who are concerned about their financial position, we recommend seeking early professional advice. In some cases, rescue of the business might not be possible, in which case a CVL might be the appropriate route. However, with the number of tools and support measures still available, it may be possible to salvage the business notwithstanding the challenging financial circumstances.

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About the Authors

Lucy Trott, PSL at Stevens & Bolton LLP, advises companies, insolvency practitioners, lenders and individuals on a wide range of financial issues, incorporating both corporate and personal insolvencies and issues of an international and cross-border nature.

Tim Carter, partner at Stevens & Bolton LLP, advises on all aspects of restructuring and corporate and personal insolvency, including distressed business sales. His clients range from insolvency practitioners, corporates, stakeholders and other investors to directors and individuals. He has particular expertise in matters involving insolvency litigation.

Joining Forces to Digitalize: How Collaborative Innovation Can Augment the Impact of Digital Transformation on SC Performance

November 24, 2021

By Sara Abdalla

Digital transformation is reshaping the world of business, enabling ambidextrous supply chain performance by driving both efficiency and adaptability. Nevertheless, implementation of the most advanced technology by itself cannot yield the desired outcomes. Firms must seek collaborative innovation in order to reap the benefits of DX and sustain competitive advantage.

DX in Supply Chain Management

Driven by societal changes, the advent of new technologies, and the global COVID 19 pandemic, digital transformation is reshaping the world of business. Firms of all sizes and industries are actively using, pursing, or at least considering, the use of digital technologies to enhance their performance and capabilities. Supply chain management (SCM) is one area of the business management that is greatly affected by this digitalization movement. According to MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, digitally transforming SCs can cut process costs by half and lead to about 20 percent increase in revenue¹. SCM processes can be streamlined and optimized using technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI), to name a few. Assisted with these technologies, SCs can be transformed into agile, customer-driven, and demand-sensitive networks.²

Efficiency vs Adaptability: Keeping Balls in the Air

Practitioners and academics alike emphasize the importance of firms’ ability to adapt to dynamics in the business environment. Such adaptability entails the rapid reconfiguration of resources, activities, as well as relationships and business priorities, to the changing market conditions³. However, this ability should not be at the expense of lower efficiency. The intense competition prevalent in today’s business landscape necessitates pursuing adaptability and efficiency simultaneously, a capability known as “ambidexterity”⁴.

The intense competition prevalent in today’s business landscape necessitates pursuing adaptability and efficiency simultaneously, a capability known as “ambidexterity”4.

The use of digital technologies in SCM has been proposed as a means by which firms can achieve ambidexterity. On the one hand, DX contributes to cost saving and the reduction of slack resources by providing enhanced visibility and optimization of SC processes, leading to increased operational efficiency. On the other hand, digital technologies allow higher customer proximity and market sensing capabilities, resulting in improved adaptability.

Choosing the “Right” Player

Collaboration prevails in innovation projects, as individual, firm-bounded projects can produce little value. Collaboration, in its broadest definition, seeks the acquisition of resources not currently available for the focal entity by polling and / or combining own resources with other entities’ resources. In this sense, it is vital to define the nature of the needed resources. Generally, these resources can be either complementary, i.e., different in nature, or similar. Firms engage into collaborative innovation (CI) activities with firms with similar resources/challenges to benefit from their experience and to gain economies of scale. The expected outcome of such collaboration is boosted efficiency. Alternatively, firms choose to collaborate with firms with complementary resources to expand their resource base and have access to different types of resources. In this case, their adaptability is enhanced. CI projects are thus can be directed towards specific targeted outcomes.

DX and in Japanese Firms

DX is becoming an imperative for business survival. In Japan, however, the long-established corporate culture has resulted in poor commitment and support by top management to the transformation endeavors. Combined with shortages in trained human resources for DX implementation, Japanese firms are faced with an “insufficient scaling and development of digital services”⁵. According to their corporate transformation surveys, McKinsey & Company reported a digital transformation success rate of only 16 percent in Japanese firms, with an even lower success rate among traditional industries such as energy and infrastructure. In general, the investments in information and communication technology (ICT) in Japan are far below its peer countries; US and UK for example, and has not witnessed any growth since 2000⁶.

Acknowledging the significance of DX and in attempts to accelerate its adoption by Japanese firms, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) in Japan has launched a study group with the mission of “researching and prioritizing current challenges involving IT systems that Japanese companies are facing in achieving digital transformations”⁷. One of the main challenges identified by the study group was that business owners are hesitant to engage in DX project given the associated high costs and long-term outcomes, which could entail many risks to their businesses. To promote DX, several measures were proposed by the METI including providing guidelines, developing metrics, and establish a platform for cooperative areas.

A recent study which included a sample of Japanese manufacturing firms⁸ has investigated the joint impact of SC digitalization and CI with partners having similar vs different resources on SC performance. According to the results (see Figures 1), when firms engage in CI activities, the impact on their SC performance is significantly higher than when they pursue DX individually.

More specifically, the results illustrated in Figure 1 (left) show that Japanese firms embarking DX radically improved their SC efficiency when collaborating with market and industry members (MICI), such as consultants or even competitors, compared to those who pursued it individually or with member of the SC, such as customers and suppliers. The figure also illustrates how the typical high costs associated with DX resulted in a decrease in SC efficiency for firms with lower CI levels.

Similarly, Japanese firms in the study who engaged in CI with their suppliers and customers (SCCI) were capable of achieving higher SC adaptability using the digitalization of SC processes compared to other firms which foregone such collaborations, even when they attempt to embrace DX. In Figure 1 (right), we can see clearly that combining DX with collaboration assisted the Japanese firms who initially suffered from lower SC adaptability to surpass other firms which relied only on digitalization initiatives.

Conclusion

The business landscape is rapidly changing, placing increasing pressures on businesses to cope and adapt while maintaining a healthy bottom line. Many firms are moving towards SC digitalization as a means by which they can streamline and optimize processes, and eventually balance the efficiency-adaptability tradeoffs. Despite their tremendous advantages, however, digital technologies alone cannot sustain the competitive advantage sought by these companies.

Creating high value collaborations with SC and non-SC members can minimize some of the associated risks inherent in the DX process, ease the transition, and improve it outcomes by providing access to complementary capabilities and / or pooling similar resources. In this sense, SC leaders, especially in Japan, can use this recipe to reinforce the impact of DX and guarantee higher success outcomes.

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About the Author

Sara Abdalla is a lecturer and a researcher in business administration, with a focus on technology and innovation. She is currently finalizing her Ph.D. in business administration at Osaka University in Japan. Her research interests include SC management, analytics, and entrepreneurship.

References

MIT CTL, “MIT Digital Supply Chain Transformation,” MIT Digital Supply Chain Transformation, 2021. https://digitalsc.mit.edu/ (accessed Sep. 28, 2021).
G. Büyüközkan and F. Göçer, “Digital supply chain: literature review and a proposed framework for future research,” Computers in Industry, vol. 97, pp. 157–177, 2018.
3. H. L. Lee, “The Triple-A Supply Chain,” Harvard Business Review, vol. 82, no. 10, pp. 102–113, 2004.
J. Birkinshaw and C. Gibson, “Building ambidexterity into an organization,” MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 47–55, 2004.
M. Kurokawa et al., “Using digital transformation to thrive in Japan’s new normal: An urgent imperative,” McKinsey & Company, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.mckinsey.com/jp/en/our-work/digital
OCED, “Information and communication technology (ICT) – ICT investment,” OECD Data, 2021. http://data.oecd.org/ict/ict-investment.htm (accessed Sep. 28, 2021).
METI, “Digital Transformation: Overcoming of ‘2025 Digital Cliff’ Involving IT Systems and Full-fledged Development of Efforts for Digital Transformation,” Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), 2018. Accessed: Sep. 28, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2018/0907_004.html
S. Abdalla and K. Nakagawa, “The Interplay of Digital Transformation and Collaborative Innovation on Supply Chain Ambidexterity,” TIM Review, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 45–56, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.22215/timreview/1428.

Text Alerts for Business: What You Need to Know

November 24, 2021

If you want to accelerate all business processes and simplify the work for your employees, it is time to implement an automatic SMS sending technology into your business. The technology of SMS alerts is a godsend for any business owner.

This technology automates the process of text SMS sending to subscribers who have given permission to receive such an SMS mailing. Thus, the SMS notification service is connected to the predefined base of telephone numbers.

So, with this innovation, business owners do not need to manually send text SMS to every worker in their firm. All you need to do is to write the text of your message and click one button. It is enough to make all your employees receive an important SMS.

How to Use Text Alerts in Your Business?

There are two ways to use the technology of SMS alerts for the business. The first one implies the use of SMS alerts technology as a method of communication with your clients.

It is commonly known that today it is very important to keep in touch with your customers through SMS marketing and remind them of yourself from time to time. Due to the high level of competition, it is the only way to get and keep loyal customers.

Fortunately, the use of the technology of text alerts is a great possibility to advance communication with your clients. There are some examples of text alerts for customers:

Reminder to the client about the upcoming visit
Customer notification of online booking
Client notification about offline recording
Reminder to the client about a return visit
Client notification of record confirmation
Client notification of online record deletion

It is a great idea to use the text alerts technology for communication with clients because it assures that you will not miss any telephone number and every client will receive their notification.

The second way to use the technology of SMS alerts in the business is to improve the corporate communication system. It goes without saying that the connection between the employer and employees is essential.

First of all, such a connection allows business to work as a well-coordinated mechanism. In addition, it helps to correctly distribute tasks and the workload, which causes an increase in work efficiency.

The implementation of the text alerts technology into your internal communication system is a possibility to enhance this system or even to create it, if it still is not available. Such technology is especially handy for big companies, which have a large number of offices and employees spread across them.

However, sometimes such corporate communication is not successful because workers do not receive notifications about new SMS in time. So, there are several methods, which minimize the possibility that workers will miss your SMS:

Installation of a special app
Alerts sent to the email
Use of telephone alerts
Use of desktop notifications

Of course, the best option for the business owner who wants to be sure that all workers will receive and notice a text alert is to choose the installation of a special app. Such programs are also called SMS delivery services.

Such programs are quite popular because of the simplicity of their use. What is more, they are compatible with the vast majority of gadgets and operating systems. Therefore, you do not need to check the models of your workers’ phones and select separate apps for them.

In addition, the sender can see who has already seen the sent text alert. It is even possible to define the time and the device, which displays the SMS. So, workers will not be able to pretend that they have not seen the message.

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Kleiman v Wright Day 14: Plaintiff Strategy of Painting Craig Wright as Serial Forger Backfires

November 24, 2021

It is Day 14 of the controversial Kleiman v Wright trial, which is centered on the real identity of the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto who authored the Bitcoin white paper and allegedly mined 1.1 million Bitcoin, now valued at over $63 billion.

The plaintiff, represented by Ira Kleiman, is accusing computer scientist Craig Wright of cheating David Kleiman of the credit of co-writing the Bitcoin white paper and up to half of the Satoshi coins the two allegedly mined together.

The defense is arguing that Wright solely wrote the Bitcoin white paper under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto and that there is no evidence of a partnership between Wright and David Kleiman in co-authoring the historic white paper and the mining of the 1.1 million coins.

Wright Takes Stand Again

Wright has previously taken the stand as a witness for the plaintiff; and now, he takes the stand again as the last witness for his defense. It seems that many are speculating that Wright’s lawyers did not want to have him testify again, and it was only Wright himself who insisted on doing so after witnessing a heated conversation between the parties concerned during the break.

It seems that Wright had won over his defense team as he was called in again to take the stand. Wright’s testimony further solidified the claim made by the defense through other witnesses that Wright was highly immersed in Japanese culture as he was influenced greatly by his grandfather on the maternal side, who served in the Australian army during World War II.

This then led to Wright choosing the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, a combination of two Japanese philosophers, when he wrote the Bitcoin white paper. After which, more about Wright’s career history was examined.

According to Wright, it was in 1998 when he was working for online casino Lasseters, that he first had the idea for Bitcoin. The token system Wright developed for the casino was the first version of what is now Bitcoin.

Minutes of a meeting Wright had with Allan Granger from the well-known accounting firm BDO was then presented as evidence of Wright proposing a P2P e-cash system. The proposal was rejected and never came to fruition. This compelling evidence shows a “precursor to Bitcoin,” and how Wright alone could have created it as Satoshi Nakamoto based on his past work experience.

The Bombshell

Previously, the plaintiff has resorted to attempting to discredit Wright and painting him as someone who has forged at least 40 emails presented as evidence. Although Wright has denied having forged even one email in his life, an expert witness for the plaintiff has alluded to Wright being the only one capable of forging said email exchanges between himself and David Kleiman.

Now, the bombshell comes from an email exchange between David Kleiman and Wright provided by Ira Kleiman, which the plaintiff has alleged was forged by Wright. The email was about Wright asking David Kleiman for help in a project called “bit cash,” and was the only email exchange between Wright and Kleiman that even made mention of anything similar to Bitcoin.

It was also discovered that the IP address where the email was sent from was actually one that allegedly Jamie Wilson, Wright’s former disgruntled CFO who also testified for the plaintiff, had access to. What seems to have shocked the plaintiff more is that it was not possible for Wright to have sent the said email in 2008 because the email address it was sent from, [email protected], was actually a family domain that represents the initials of Wright’s second wife Ramona, himself and their three children.

At the time the email was allegedly sent, Wright had not even met Ramona yet. In fact, the two met about two years later in 2010 and only became romantically involved in 2011—not to mention the fact that they did not have children until after 2011. How would their initials be used in an email sent in 2008?

With this established in court, it has now put in question who was actually the serial forger that the plaintiff had been making out to be as Wright? While Wright could not have sent those emails and did not have access to the said family domain until years after that particular email was sent, who could have forged it?

Earlier in the trial, Ira Kleiman said under oath that he still has access to his brother’s email and would even send himself a birthday email yearly from David Kleiman’s email account. Email evidence presented in court also showed that Ira Kleiman had over 30 email addresses he used to communicate with different persons or organizations.

Could Ira Kleiman have enlisted the help of Wilson, who seemed to have a grudge against Wright, to forge emails from Wright to David Kleiman in order to strengthen their case and get their hands on half of the Satoshi coins? Could using forged emails as evidence and attributing these forgeries to Wright have been the plaintiff grasping at straws in a case that lacks meaningful evidence for the plaintiff?

What could the jury have thought about this most recent information? Could it have completely tipped the case over to the defense’s side? The defense has rested their case, and closing arguments are on the schedule Wednesday. Soon, all of these questions will be answered.

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What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself Anymore

November 23, 2021

Sometimes, you get caught up with the tides of life that it becomes so hard for you to be yourself and stay happy. Do you ever have those moments when you don’t just feel like yourself? Brace up, for there is always a way out! In this article, you will discover what to do when you don’t feel like yourself anymore.

Do What Makes You Happy

Losing yourself can make you feel so numb and empty. One of the reasons why you may not feel like yourself anymore is that you are not doing what makes you happy. Hence, you must figure out activities that make you happy and alive, as nobody can precisely pinpoint what makes you happy. Also, you have to consciously create time and spaces for activities or hobbies that make you feel alive and can help you feel more like yourself. For instance, if you love cooking, try creating some time every day to prepare a meal. If you love biking, get a bicycle and go riding outdoors.

Meditation

Meditation is a breathing exercise that can help you stay grounded in the present moment while helping you to get rid of your pessimistic thoughts that can make you feel depressed. When you lose yourself, it becomes difficult to do anything significant. However, meditation can help you focus on what is important. Meditating regularly will make you feel calm and relaxed, help you deal with stress, and give you inner peace. When you want to meditate, you have to look for a quiet place to be by yourself. Also, you have to sit in a relaxed position with your feet flat on the floor and breathe in slowly, in and out. Through meditation, you will be able to feel like yourself and be more productive. Meditation can be even more productive if you are also a yoga practitioner. Yoga and meditation are key to mental relaxation and concentration.

Set Boundaries

Boundaries are the separations you need physically, emotionally, and mentally to feel safe and valued. Sometimes, a lack of boundaries is possibly what made you lose yourself. When you set boundaries it does not mean that you do not care about your friends, family, or neighbors. Rather, it shows that you love yourself as much as you do them. When setting boundaries, It is vital that you set logical boundaries. To do this, you have to know yourself properly and identify your values, beliefs, wants, and needs. Setting boundaries can go a long way in helping you be yourself, and realize a lot of things, including who you truly are.

Take a Break From Social Media

Today, it is easy to know about situations happening around the world through social media. There is nothing wrong with spending some time on social media. However, you have to make sure you don’t spend your whole day scrolling on social media. When you spend too much time on social media, you can subconsciously start comparing your life with others online. As a result, it becomes easy for you to lose yourself. Instead of focusing on social media, you can spend your time on other activities such as getting outside in nature. This will help you focus more on things that matter in your life.

Do Something New

Doing something new can help you improve yourself and more importantly help you discover new things about yourself. Doing something new does not require a lot of time and effort from you. You simply just need to dedicate some time and do something out of your comfort zone. For instance, you can decide on going for a retreat. Retreat programs are viewed as an intimate way of heightening powers of insight and concentration. Retreat programs such as Iboga treatment can help you find new inspirations and purpose. Iboga Retreat is a psycho-spiritual program that allows for a transformative journey into the soul, giving healing and understanding. Iboga retreats have been known to help people feel happier, confident, and connect to their hearts and soul.

Conclusion

As humans, we all have moments of ups and downs. Sometimes, we wake up in the morning and feel off right from the start. This is natural as our daily lives can not be perfect. However, if you struggle with what to do when you don’t feel like yourself anymore, then make use of the tips provided in this article.

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8 Canadian Actors Who Are Part of Marvel Character Universe

November 23, 2021

Marvel Cinematic Universe is a franchise based in the US. It centers around the superhero genre. It consists of great actors, and thus it’s a big cinematic universe. All Marvel characters are based on comics and appear in marvel comics.

The superheroes in MCU are fans’ favorite, though some have selected a few characters as their main heroes.For Marvel fans in Canada, you will be thrilled to know that some of the superheroes in the marvel cinematic universe were born in Canada.

However, one has to watch all the MCU movies in order to find a favorite character. Below are some of the Canadian actors who are part of the Marvel Universe.

Cobie Smulders

Her dream was to become a doctor or a biologist in the marine. But all that dream changed when Cobie started appearing as an actor in school productions. And her love as an actor grew. Her birth town was in Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada 1982, April 3. Her acting didn’t go unnoticed, for she was talented.

She portrays Mariah Hills in MCU. And, she appeared in many marvel films like the Avengers, the Captain America winter soldier, Avengers Age of Ultron, Infinity War, and the Avengers End game.

Nathan Fillion

He’s not a stranger in Canada, for he has appeared in many popular shows, including a tv series known as Castle. Although his role as Captain Malcolm on firefly was superb, his acting made him a fan favorite and received a large following.

Nathan was born in Alberta, Canada, in the year 1971. He moved to the US in 1994, there, he started his acting career and participated in the theater.

Nathan’s career as an actor has seen him appear in marvel films, though not physically, his voice has. For example, he voiced a character known as monstrous Inmate in the movie guardian of the galaxy.

Dillon Casey

Born in 1983 in Dallas, USA, Dillon Casey is an actor and a writer. Though he has dual citizenship in Canada, he is widely known for appearing in hit series such as The Vampire Diaries and skins. Dillon has also featured in marvel as Will Daniels in Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. That’s where he made his start in the MCU.

Serinda Swan

Swan was born in West Vancouver in Canada, British Columbia. Her father was a renowned director, while her mother had embraced acting. Now we know the reason she ended up as an actor. She started acting at the age of 3yrs. Being an actor was always in her blood.

She has made a name for herself as she appeared in series such as Smallville, Supernatural, and Blood ties. She also appeared in Marvel, playing the role of Medusa.

Rachael McAdams

Rachael was born in Ontario, London, Canada. At 13, she made her debut in acting. She’s known to appear in romantic comedies and teen movies such as sling and arrows, mean girls, and the notebook. She made her debut in the Marvel film Doctor Strange where she starred as Dr. Christine Palmer, proving just how versatile her acting can be.

Emily VanCamp

Emily was born in Port Perry, Canada, on May 12, 1986. She has had a leading role in Everwood, Brothers and Sisters (ABC drama), and on 2011’s- revenge. In addition, she is a member of marvel characters as Sharon Carter/ Agent 13 in Captain America, in The Winter Soldier, and appeared in Captain America civil war.

Simu Liu

Simu was born in 1989 in Harbin, China, but he moved to Canada at the age of 5 yrs. He grew up in Ontario, Mississauga. After settling for a film career, it wasn’t long for him to find a role, and he did so in series such as Nikita, Heroes reborn, Warehouse, Air Crash Investigation.

Not only is Liu an actor, he’s also a professional stuntman. His career as an actor has been on a high as he made his debut in Marvel Cinematic Universe as a leading role in a 2021 marvel movie Shang Chi as Shang Chi.

Jonathan Schwartz

Jonathan was born in Toronto, Ontario the year 1982, on September 12. He started acting at the age of 8years. And at that age, he was on a show known as goosebumps, a TV series.

His work can be seen in the Marvel Universe. He has had a significant role in producing some of the best movies we have seen, including Guardian of the Galaxy, Guardian of the Galaxy Volume 2 as an executive producer, Captain Marvel, and Shang-Chi.

Jonathan also played a significant role in Iron Man 2, Captain America, and Thor while working with Kevin Feige.

Conclusion

We enjoy watching movies, and superhero movies make us find that one excellent character you enjoy watching. Knowing the background of each character makes it even more entertaining.

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9 Steps for Easier Payment Processes for Online Customers

November 23, 2021

Making the checkout process easier could increase your level of sales and conversions. Never underestimate the checkout page. It’s the final gateway for buyers to pay for what they want to buy finally. It could also be a place where window shoppers changed into loyal customers.

If you want to put the work on growing your business more seriously, it’s time to start making the payment process more accessible than before. Here are the nine steps you can do to make the whole process easier:

1. Have Various Payment Methods

Limited payments are always hated. There are many cases when buyers stop their check out process due to this limitation. Ensure that you have a wide variety of payments available on the checkout page.

Although it isn’t a must, offering more than one payment method could give buyers a sense of relief to pay in the way they want. You may want to use the famous payment platforms, including Paypal or Pay.com. Pay.com allows you to accept payments online safely and securely.

2. Allow Payments without Login Process

What’s the need to put a wall in between the payment process? It’s none. Forcing people to do sign up or log in before making the payment is actually alarming. It’s a known conversion killer; avoid it as possible.

Since many customers don’t get an idea of why they should log in for the payment, you can get rid of it as soon as possible. It may prolong the payment process, which everyone hates.

3. Adopt Seamless Design

Keeping the website in uniform is essential to keep everything consistent. The way you use the same colors, design, and fonts can make people easier to identify your brand. However, various payment gateway providers may have an already-made format for you. But, this could limit the freedom in designing and creating a simple and effective checkout page.

4. Don’t Redirect People.

As the brand owner, surely you want to keep the visitors within your website. So why redirect them away?

If you’re buying a product through a marketplace, the checkout process will be on the same website, not redirected anywhere. It’s different if you use other payment portals, like Paypal, for example. After checking out, you’ll be directed to a Paypal checkout page, which is an entirely different thing.

Since it has a totally different design than your site, most people would feel feared as if they’re paying to another business rather than the one they’re buying from.

5. Make An Easy Fix for Errors

Mistakes are inevitable. Sometimes people make mistakes, from simple things like including “.com” to incorrectly inputting their passwords. Your task is to highlight the errors and provide a way that’s easy to follow.

When an error happens, the page will display an error message on the top or middle of the page. Buyers don’t need to specifically find what was wrong by scrolling up and down endlessly. Another option is to make input automation, saving the username and passwords automatically after submission.

It’s a convenience feature you can easily find on most search engines, allowing you to access a website quicker. This feature lets users save more time to do a quicker payment process rather than inputting extended information all over again.

6. Ask Important Information Only

See this in the similar way you build an email list. Asking for information could be double-edged swords. It could gain you the specific data of the users, while it could make people go away once you go too far.

That’s why only limit the information request to the essentials. Make sure not to annoy the buyers with unimportant requests since it’s an instant conversion killer.

7. Offer Security and Privacy

Whenever you ask for personal information, make sure to show the features that may guarantee safety and security. Simple ways to do it is by offering a consistent design and not redirecting buyers to another place.

Guaranteeing their private information is mandatory. Usually, you want an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate to ensure that your website is compliant to offer a secure connection and better protection through encryption.

If that’s not enough, you may add compliance with PCI SSC standards. If you do have these badges, make sure to display them to make people more relaxed about the cybersecurity risks.

8. Keep Minimal Distractions

Remember, the checkout page is the final destination. After choosing any products they want to buy, buyers will end up on the page, continuing to make the payment. Indeed, any sellers wish the buyers to do the transaction as quickly as they can. So, make sure the page has fewer distractions to make the process more straightforward and not confusing.

9. Don’t Forget to Add a Call to Action.

After doing all the steps above, make sure to add a call to action. Don’t leave them hanging. Add something to encourage them to do the transactions, like “Continue to checkout”,” check out here”, or simply “Click here!”

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Five Beneficial Tips for Agriculture Water Conservation for Farmers

November 23, 2021

Agriculture forms the backbone of any country’s economy, and the farmer’s vocation is conditional on the monsoon. Intense climatic situations like storms, shortage, a transition in plant accumulating zones have resulted in a decrease in harvest productivity. In this case, beneficial expenditures for conserving water must be created.

Sand dams

The Romans invented the Sand Dams in 400 BC. This is a less expensive replicable rainwater harvesting technique. It is an easy idea and can furnish sufficient neat drinking water for gardening and agriculture in huge quantities and for an extended duration.

Sand Dams are created by shoveling an intense pit and replenishing it with mortar. This drench is loaded with rain. The dams are normally made across small non-perennial rivers, and the sand becomes about 40% irrigated with water and can carry 2 to 10 million liters of water.

The necessity of sand dams

Sand dams are a considerably cost-effective technique of water preservation in dryland habitats. They deliver an enhanced, regional, and valid water citation for residents in remote, rural regions.

Float valve have great importance in sand dams. They help in maintaining the water flow as they close the hole when the water level increases. This helps in preventing overflow and flooding of farming areas from the water reserved in Sand Dams.

Sand dams are a source of clear water within 30-90 minutes of people’s homes, making it accessible to water for people, harvests, and livestock in water-stressed territories. This leads to a substantial reduction in the time spent to receive water. Hence the farmers can get the power to ramp up the agriculture actions, such as terracing and tree farming.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry is an idea in which plants are utilized as a portion of the geography. This tactic helps the soil, animals, and plants alike.

Benefits of Agroforestry are:

Evaporation can be lessened, due to which the soil and water run-off can be prohibited.
Shadow tolerant harvests can be cultivated from animal help.
The fallen leaves and plant remains can form organic manure.
Multiple products can be farmed and harvested hence.
By mixing trees, shrubs, and seasonal harvests, the damage caused due to insects, disorders, deficit, and the wind is prohibited.

Ecological Benefits:

Combining trees with food harvests on cropland farms produces crucial environmental advantages, resulting in ecological development and certain on-site advantages. The general ecological benefits include:

Excluding tension on woodland.
Extra creative recycling of nutrients by deep-rooted trees on the site.
Nicer safety of ecological systems.
Deduction of surface run-off, nutrient leaching, and soil decay due to the presence of tree roots.
Development of microclimates, such as lessening soil surface weather and deduction of evaporation of soil vapor through a mixture of mulching and shading.
Drought-Tolerant Crops

It is always proposed that products are accumulated in chains within the areas. For example, native product species are aboriginal to arid regions and are generally drought-tolerant. Also, drought-resistant plants work nicely in a span of soil varieties and can develop even in bad soil with relatively few nutrients. Giving rise to the portion of your ranch will pay incomes, both now and in the future.

Laser Leveling

The technology of utilizing scarce groundwater optimally by assuring the level is called Laser Leveling. The imbalance of the soil surface influences germination, stand, and gain of harvests. Farmers pay immense time and aid in balancing their areas suitably. But, conventional techniques of leveling territory are cumbersome, time-taking as well as costly.

The advantages of Laser Land Levelling are:

Thorough dispersion of water
Conserving water
Preservation of soil nutrients
Precision Farming
Increased harvest productivity
Limited weed crises
Conserving time, energy, and resources
Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater Harvesting can be clarified as a procedure by which the Rainwater is compiled in IBC totes and tanks and puddles for coming use. Unpredictable climatic situations lead to groundwater wastage to a great extent. This problem can be solved with Rainwater Harvesting. The best part about it is that it can be practiced in any residence or place, ensuring an adequate supply of water for farming.

Parting Thoughts

The world is facing a water crisis. In fighting off this crisis, farmers can try saving water by implementing these five steps.

Despite being an essential commodity, water is also a limited resource. Following proper process can allow farmers to save and reduce their dependencies on resources which are getting ended.

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