Author: dfmines

The problem is leverage and currency risk. Evergrande has ~30bn in assets and 300bn in liabilities ($80 million of which is due this week, but they have already stated that they cannot pay this interest). Much like 2008, the real estate market in China is highly levered and in an extreme bubble. This is because…
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I don't know how this Evergrande situation is going to effect the crypto market any more than it has, but what I do know is that as of right now, the money I've invested into crypto over the past year has grown enough to pay off my student loans once and for all. If this…
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The legacy education system is plagued with problems that must be addressed. In the United States alone, there are 81.5 million students enrolled in the public education system. The US government spends $680 billion annually, over 7% of its GDP on education. This equates to more money per student than in most other countries, and yet per a report from the Social Progress Index, the US is ranked 91st out of 163 countries when it comes to access to quality education. But the problems that plague the US education system are not unique – they plague other nations as well. While there are a million and one opinions on what’s wrong, and why and how to fix the system, we have reached a global consensus on two points: First, the modern education system is failing. Second, students’ lack of motivation has reached an all-time high. Technology has become an inseparable part of our daily lives, especially with the recent generations. We never leave the house without our phones and the ongoing pandemic has only made us turn to technology even more for comfort. The advances of the gaming industry have made its products addictive. Is it strange then that students are more interested in gaming than learning? Now, this is a clear problem for educational institutions, but could it also be the solution? Implementing the principles of gamification into the workings of its platform, Studyum is turning the problem into a solution. By harnessing the power of advanced technological solutions like blockchain, NFTs, and visual technology, Studyum is building an edtech platform designed for success in the modern world. What is Studyum? Studyum is a revolutionary learning platform built on a secure decentralized blockchain. It combines artificial intelligence, machine learning, facial recognition, 3D avatars and NFT to offer an unrivaled experience for educators and students. The Studyum platform tackles the problems of the educational system by creating an environment where students are effectively motivated to succeed. Studyum addresses the issues by merging its innovations with the learning experience, for both educators’ and students’ benefit. The Studyum platform will utilize the STUD token as the utility token of the platform. Benefits for educators: Access to a groundbreaking learning management system. An intuitive platform to create content in 2D or 3D and generate unique NFT collectible cards. Tools to motivate their students, combined with a reward system that encourages progress on the platform. For teachers, the tools they need are now at their fingertips, allowing them to reach and engage students like never before. Benefits for students: Tailored digital learning experience, with facial microexpression analysis to follow the student’s style and needs. Outstanding 3D avatars that connect the online and physical world together. A unique combination of VR, AI and machine learning. A reward system with tokenized NFT collectibles. Access to a decentralized NFTfi marketplace, where users can swap, stake, and trade. Tools to optimize student’s learning, such as the SMARTchat and the support of the community. Studyum allows students to learn their own way and at their own pace so they are never “left behind.” The platform adapts to them, and not vice versa. A look inside: The immediate functionalities With the launch of Studyum, these functionalities are operational from day one: Licensing courses for coaches. This makes it easier and more efficient to implement a better user experience for the coaches, students, and parents. Training programs for coaches and parents. This means all those who participate can contribute to the success of education. Training programs for students. The uniformity of this successful user experience will give structure to the innovative methods of the Studyum platform. Group and individual learning. This is the best of both worlds. No student gets “left behind” while the success of group learning is also ensured. Homework section. This allows for homework to be set up, all on the platform. A lesson-by-lesson curriculum and course roadmaps. This gives the educators a turnkey solution, so they have the resources to focus on the success of each student. Creation of user blocks, so that AI can be used to help provide personalized programming. The user does not have access to this information, as it is stored privately. Using AI can ensure this is a tailored experience so everyone can win. A look ahead: The future functionalities Voting and staking tokens are important future functions of the platform. A portion of the unsold tokens from the IDO  launch (see explanation below) will be frozen to provide funding for any STUD token holder to create content. This will work similarly to many token-curated registries in that an individual stakes a certain amount of STUD to be able to teach a lesson. If anyone believes that the class holds no purpose or that the teacher is not qualified, they can challenge them for the position of the teacher. The Studyum community can ensure the quality of proposed classes by either challenging the teacher’s competence or the credibility of a class being offered. If an individual succeeds in proving the teacher or the course are inadequate  (meaning that the teacher was deemed unworthy), then the person who issued the challenge has a right to the funds staked by the original candidate. For Investors As an investor, this project also has the potential to be one of those you wished you hadn’t passed up. How can you be a part of this from the very beginning? The Studyum ecosystem will utilize the STUD token, powered by the blockchain. STUD tokens will be available for purchase when the IDO stage starts. An Initial Dex Offering or IDO is a fundraising method in which the token is issued via a decentralized liquidity exchange that relies on liquidity pools. You can swap your tokens with other traders in the exchange. Investors can buy tokens at the point of launch, then resell them at a higher price later in the IDO process. To find more and join the Studyum community, click here.

This content was originally featured on Bitcoinist In October 2018, a massive inflatable Bitcoin rat was erected outside of the United States Federal Reserve building by artist Nelson Saiers. Now, the former Managing Director for Deutsche Bank AG and hedge fund manager turned mathematical artist is back at it, as the Fed is up to no good once again. Here is a glimpse at what is going on at the Fed currently that’s caused Saiers to raise a such a stir, how it involves Bitcoin, and what you can do to take a stand like Saiers has. Nelson Saiers And His 2018 Inflatable Bitcoin Rat Bitcoin wouldn’t be where it is today, trading at more than $40,000 per coin, if it weren’t for early evangelists spreading the cryptocurrency’s message. No other form of money exists with such scarcity, and it is thanks to a foundation of mathematical code. Math is right up Saiers’ alley. Saiers has been referred to as the “Warhol of Wall Street” due to his financial-based artworks, and received his PhD in Math at the age of 23. Related Reading | Bitcoin Golden Cross: Everything You Need To Know About The Bullish Signal As an artist, he’s produced pieces heavy with geometry and numbers. In one such example, Saiers features $10 bills crushed up in a vending machine costing only 50 cents each. Here $10 bills are for “sale” for 50 cents. Alexander Hamilton, whose image adorns the $10 was a huge advocate for a “national bank”. His ideas provided the foundation for the creation of the Federal Reserve a century later. Cheap Money (low interest rates which are often impacted by the FED) was a central cause of 2008 Crash, a description reads. Saiers’ latest piece is also directly outside the Fed, because he’s trying to raise awareness for something he’s shocked there isn’t more “outrage” over: Federal Reserve presidents playing games with rates and other levers while they are also trading securities in their personal accounts. Crypto has come a long way since Saiers’ last stunt in front of the Fed | Source: BTCUSD on TradingView.com The latest Bitcoin rat has been slightly modified from the 2018 original. The newest has a black right eye, which represents how the actions of the Fed presidents are “a real black eye” for the Federal Reserve’s “reputation.” The eye also says POW in reference to the proof-of-work consensus mechanism Bitcoin uses. The black eye also references “getting punched” Saiers told us. Also updated from the original is the sign that said “I smell a rat.” It now reads “I smell 2 weasels” along with the question “does anybody know how to get to Dallas?” Saiers has shared some exclusive photos with us, which you can check out below. What’s Going On With The Fed? The situation the art piece is referencing, is an “ethics review” called for by Fed chairman Jerome Powell, in response to letters Senator Elizabeth Warren sent to the Fed’s regional bank presidents demanding stricter ethics policies, especially around each president’s own holdings. All this comes following several Fed presidents disclosing stock trades, which have come under scrutiny. The “2 weasels” in question are, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren, who held stock in in Pfizer, Chevron and AT&T, and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan who traded seven-digits worth of stocks like Apple, Amazon and Delta Air Lines, according to a CNBC report. The problem isn’t that these people were trading stocks, but doing so while also – as Saiers points out – making “rate and bailout decisions.” So how does this all involve Bitcoin? Well, aside from the fact Saiers has used BTC in the past to prove similar points, the lack of noise around Wall Street and traditional markets over this ethical issue has caused him to turn to crypto instead. “Satoshi couldn’t stand bailouts,” Saiers said, “so I wanted to bring attention to it to the crypto world.” Saiers’ art is now standing in opposition of the Fed right now. Related Reading |  Bitcoin NFT “The Death Of Fiat” Commemorates Historic Crypto Bull Run With Saiers’ statement now out there, will crypto help the rest of the world wake up to what is going on right under their noses? And when they do, will they finally understand why Bitcoin is so special? Probably not, but the more central banks cause distrust, the better the case for Bitcoin in the long run. Special thanks to those like Satoshi, Saiers, and others who selflessly fight causes that effect so many others. If you want to get involved and stop this, buying BTC is one option, but you can also contact your local state and federal elected officials and let your voice be heard. Follow @TonySpilotroBTC on Twitter or via the TonyTradesBTC Telegram. Content is educational and should not be considered investment advice. Featured image from iStockPhoto, Charts from TradingView.com

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