US

Why Use a VPN in the USA-And How to Find One

Published on

The USA has a tradition of free and open access to the internet. Americans want assurances that their security and privacy will be protected from those who would spy, steal, and come between them in their quest for information and e-commerce.

Our online freedoms have been under constant attack. Protection against privacy breaches, malware, and identity theft requires Americans to adopt a siege mentality behind firewalls, malware detectors, and a strong password regimen to protect their personal privacy online.

An additional and especially effective weapon in the battle against surveillance and intruders is a VPN like Surfshark and similar services that provide VPN for the US.

Source:techradar.com

Basics

Virtual Private Network–secures the user’s web browsing. It is an encrypted connection that goes through a virtual “tunnel.” The user’s internet traffic is safe from prying eyes because it masks the user’s “return address,” hiding the user’s identity and location.

The term “virtual” denotes the software controls that form the end-to-end connection. Rather than using hardware or dedicated lines, the connection is “tunneled” using an encrypted data packet wrapped within another packet.

The tunnel is through a server located away from the user’s actual location. The VPN shows the user’s IP address as the server the user logged into. When the VPN routes the connection to and from another destination site, the data is encrypted and secure.

To take advantage of the masking and encryption provided by it, the user must subscribe to a VPN client. The connection software provides the user with a choice of VPN servers, and the user can select the US or foreign location. With premium features like double tunneling and location hopping, the user whitelists some sites for a faster connection and search for faster servers.

Again, the chosen Virtual Private Network server appears as the user’s local IP address, and the connection is encrypted. Even the user’s internet service provider (ISP) cannot detect the websites the user visits—provided, of course, that it has a no-logs policy.

Definition of a “Strong” Virtual Private Network

Source:avira.com

Of the many VPN providers on the market today, only the truly strong VPN’s provide a no-logs policy, top-grade encryption, and multi-device protection.

Look for No-logs Assurances

“No logs” means that the provider maintains no records of the client’s activity online. That also means that the client could not, even under subpoena, provide any information about the client’s web activity.

Avoid Free Services

Free VPNs remain free by meeting their expenses in other ways. They track their users and sell the activity data to marketers and online advertisers. Some free services deposit trackers on the user’s browsers and others have been detected as facilitating third-party cyber-attacks.

Then there are the troublesome performance and speed issues with free VPN services. The user’s internet speed drops as ads are loading in the background and inserting annoying popups. Free clients of this service can also experience restricted bandwidth—or throttling—during peak hours.

Read more about the pitfalls of free services on this.

Everyone in the USA who does business or stays connected with others online needs a strong Virtual Private Network. The best and strongest VPN connection is through a paid subscription. For just a few dollars per month, the user can take advantage of a no-logs, full-featured software with state-of-the-art encryption as well as premium features like CleanWeb.

  1. In addition to the built-in firewalls and the user’s computer operating system’s security features, a strong VPN protects against viruses and known malware threats. A strong USA VPN is an important layer of continuous security and privacy protection.

 

  1. USA customers need the VPN’s added security not always provided by their financial institutions. The key feature and top advantage of it is that it protects financial data—fund transfers, invoices, etc.–in transit between the customer and the bank. It makes the principals far less vulnerable to surveillance and malware attacks.

 

  1. In the USA and elsewhere, public Wi-Fi sites are everywhere. Signing on to an insecure public Wi-Fi server without a VPN’s protection makes the user vulnerable to a man-in-the-middle attack. A VPN on the user’s mobile device is the best protection from hackers who perform real-time spying, spoofing, and luring unsuspected victims to fake websites.

 

  1. We already alluded to bandwidth throttling. It bypasses ISP bandwidth throttling, which slows online gameplay. Also, with it, the user can gain entry to restricted or locally banned games. Besides ensuring online anonymity, another VPN benefit is its shield against interference by rival players, denial of service attacks, and site banning by tyrannical game admins.

 

  1. With a strong Virtual Private Network service, the user can access streaming services like Netflix from outside the area. Those services often cannot broadcast the same popular series outside their coverage area because of programming policies or copyright restrictions. It can unlock vast amounts of out-of-area content without resorting to pirating program content from dangerous websites.

 

  1. A strong one can bypass unfair pricing practices. Online businesses and e-commerce sites can resort to blocking shoppers or displaying different prices for more affluent areas. For example, airlines frequently show different prices based on the location of the user’s ISP address. Often, shopping for the same airline ticket at different IP locations can access lower pricing for the same trip.

 

  1. A strong service can provide wide protection across all devices that connect to the internet. Those connections can be handled through the home router. The home router can be a gateway to compromising personal privacy. Installing a VPN on the router is the most reliable way to protect every device that accesses the internet through that router.
Source:computer.howstuffworks.com

Conclusions and Takeaways

A VPN protects Americans from spying and adds another layer of online security. The VPN masks the user’s location and encrypts online traffic.

Free VPN services are generally less secure and have performance issues that slow down the user’s internet connection. On the other hand, premium VPNs with no-logs policies are the best online protection for financial transactions and preventing man-in-the-middle attacks on public Wi-Fi networks while bypassing bandwidth throttling.

A premium Virtual Private Network provides more reliable access to streaming sites and can protect against unfair pricing practices. Installing a VPN to the router protects every device serviced by the router.

Stretch Your Dollar By Retiring In Mexico: Here’s How

Published on

People are living much longer these days so retiring in your 60s means that your retirement savings may need to last a lot longer than in the past. Are you sure that you have enough money to live a comfortable lifestyle on your limited income?

This is a challenge many Americans are facing these days as the cost of living is rising all the time. Either you have to go very frugal and really tighten the belt, or you try to find a place where the cost of living is low.

While there are many places within the US where you can go and enjoy a lifestyle that suits you, if it is a low cost of living area, then chances are it isn’t as nice a place to live as you would want.

Which is why Mexico should be on your radar. You can retire there and enjoy excellent weather, delicious food and a laid back lifestyle for a fraction of what it would cost to do so in Florida, for example.

In this article, I will give you some of the things you need to know to be able to retire in Mexico.

Source:mexperience.com

1. Know your expenses

The cost of living is lower than in the US, but it does highly depend on where you plan to live, what your lifestyle is like and some other factors.

Do research to find the right area that is going to be cheap, safe and have the infrastructure that you need to live a good life there. You may find an area that is very economical, but the health care services are lacking or it isn’t safe to live.

There are websites that can give you the breakdown of the cost of everything you need in a particular city. This is a good starting point to understand if it is going to be within your budget.

Then, write down all of your expenses. Make sure you include health insurance as you will be paying out of pocket for health insurance in Mexico. You can shop around for the best prices on sites like Internationalinsurance.com, but it’s up to you to find a plan. Also, any expenses you will be bringing with you from abroad need to be accounted for. These items include subscriptions for things like Netflix or loans that are still open from the US like student loans.

2. Get a visa

Source:evisa-vietnam.com

Luckily, for retirees, Mexico makes it easy to come and live without having to jump through too many bureaucratic hoops. There are different visas, though, so you need to know the right one.

If you are planning to come down to do a sort of dry run to see if you would like living there, then a tourist visa is for you. It allows you to stay up to six months which is enough time to judge whether Mexico is actually the right fit or not.

If you do decide to live there, then you will need a temporary resident visa which lasts four years. Before you leave the US you should go to your local consulate to apply as there are some requirements to qualify. For instance, you will need to show a certain amount of income that comes from outside of Mexico. This can be income from a retirement fund or if you work remotely and have a steady income from that.

Once you have been there for four years, you can then apply for a permanent visa so you don’t have to keep reapplying for a temporary one every four years. Once again, you will need to show that you have a minimum amount of money coming in and a certain amount of savings to qualify. If you get accepted then you will have the right to work in Mexico so you can add to your income locally if you can find a job.

3. Learn the language

Source:theconversation.com

Though you technically can get by with only knowing English, your life will be much easier if you learn at least some basic Spanish. Relying on locals to speak English can cause some problems especially when you are dealing with paperwork. And hiring a translator can be costly.

If you can speak some Spanish then you can navigate much easier and even integrate in Mexico instead of only having ex-pat friends.

It can also be something that gives you something to do. Learning another language is something that keeps your mind sharp so you are less likely to have a deterioration of your facilities as you age. Learning keeps us young so there is an extra incentive to learn the language as a retirement challenge.

Get a side hustle

This is one that may be in a grey area when it comes to your visa. Make sure that you are allowed to work without any issues as some visas are strict about you not taking a job from a local.

Since you are now a local, you can do things like help tourists that are visiting the region. As you speak English and have insider knowledge, then you could find yourself doing well working a few hours per week leading some food tours or something similar.

If you are not allowed to do that, then you can always do it online. Start a Youtube channel that focuses on this area and have it link to your own website. Then sell e-books as guides for the area. Or, similarly, you can also charge for itineraries that can be downloaded and printed out by the visitor to your site.

Take advantage of living someplace that people want to visit and give them an experience like a local.

Conclusion

Source:mybanktracker.com

There are going to be challenges to retiring in a foreign country, but luckily, Mexico has a lot of American retirees so the path has already been forged for you. If you’re up to some challenges, the rewards are much greater than if you chose to stay back home.

Donald Trump: Americans Need to go Back to Work

Published on

The President of the United States released a statement, in which he says that the restrictions introduced to Coronavirus epidemy who closed many companies throughout the US can only lead to more death cases.

Source:fox21news.com

Moreover, he said that his county needs to get back to work and that the country itself wants its citizens to get back to work. The statement was released on the FOX News Channel, and it was shared by Reuters.

Source:deccanherald.com

Also, he said that the cure is much worse than the problem itself. According to the President, people are going to die if the administration lets this situation to continue. His conclusion was that the citizens of the United States want to get back to work and that he will work for that to happen as soon as possible.

The Relationship Between the US Stock Market and the Economy

Published on

The US stock market is enormous. At over $30 trillion, it is a massive one. Many global companies are active on it and they affect the economy as a whole. Pundits have always based their economic forecasts on the performance of the stock market. 

The general mood of investors in the market can indicate how the economy will perform in the coming months. The stock market and the economy are thus tied in a special relationship where occurrences on one end affect the end. The following is a breakdown of the key ways in which it affects the economy.

The Working Mechanism of the US Stock Market

Before delving into the key details, it is important to note the mechanisms that characterize the US stock market. To start with, it is among the most liberal ones in the world. It is also huge and it constantly attracts investors from all over the world. The easy processes involved in doing business are the key drivers of investment in the market. Over 46% of households in the US own some form of stocks. US companies are thus enticed by the market and they often get listed when they want to achieve growth.

Img source: pexels.com

How the Market Affects the Economy

In terms of its characteristics and contribution to the economy, the stock market is influential in the following main ways. First, it allows the participation of all individuals. Individual investors and private equity investors can all find their space in it. This is one of the best destinations for individual investors since they can bet on their stocks to give them returns. Representing 40% of the global stock market cap, in the US, it is irresistible. Information is also not a challenge as investors can see the best shares to buy from market data. According to traders working with AdmiralMarkets, investment in this market is also a great way to avoid inflation. When cash is exchanged for shares, the value is retained regardless of the prevailing inflation.

Second, the economy is kept vibrant because of the stock market. When companies are looking for capital, they turn to individual investors. They do this by floating an IPO where anyone can buy shares in the company. This means of raising capital is effective because it gives investors the confidence to buy shares knowing that the firm is valuable enough to go public. Shareholders who buy stocks maintain percentage ownership of the company and thus become invested in its success. Most IPOs end up raising a large capital and this has a lot of bearing on the company.

Lastly, the behavior of investors in the stock market indicates how they generally feel about a particular company. When the stock prices of a particular company go up, the indication is that investors feel confident about the future of the company. When the prices are falling, it means that investors are not confident in the company’s ability to generate profit. These occurrences have an effect on the economy as a whole. In recent times, the technology sector has become the largest in the stock market, accounting for 26% of the total value.

The Effect of the Economy on the Stock Market

Img source: pexels.com

As noted earlier, the economy also affects the stock market. It is a major source of insights for various entities in the economy. When the economy is fairing well, more consumers are likely to increase their spending. One of the areas where consumers end up spending their extra cash is on investments in the stock market. The demand for goods and personal consumption are thus crucial factors that affect the performance of stocks in the market. The various indices show how it performs throughout a business cycle. In a given period where the GDP is faring well, a good performance will be recorded on the stock market and vice versa.

Effects of the Stock Market are Limited

To conclude, it is important to note that the stock market is not the same as the economy. Even in the US economy where the exchange is huge, the economy is big and independent enough to function under its forces. Investors in the stock market might sometimes fail to read the signals of the economy and end up overinvesting, leading to a crash.

The Laws on Surrogacy: US vs. UK

Published on

Because of the stark contrast in legislation between the two nations, intended parents are heading to the US for surrogacy in greater numbers than ever.

There are a few key differences between how surrogacies are conducted in the US and the UK. What may be even more important to note is that while the UK has a united national policy concerning surrogacy proceedings, laws regarding surrogacy in the US vary greatly from state to state. Help comes differently in both countries, from US Surrogacy agencies like ilaya, a surrogacy agency based in Europe but with protocols for families in the US or from surrogacy organizations like Surrogacy UK, that are a non-profit organization that believe only in Altruistic Surrogacy, tending to all wants and needs of what you might be looking for. In the interest of clarity, we highlight the laws from “surrogate friendly” states within the US in order to weigh them against the laws and conduct of the UK.

Cost

Img source: lifesitenews.com

Cost of procedure is a huge consideration for most intending parents. Few countries in the world provide health coverage for surrogate programs, so expenses are generally out-of-pocket. In the UK, couples can expect surrogacy programs to cost in the area of £25,000. This is largely due to the fact that surrogacy in the UK is ruled legal only when performed altruistically. Where the surrogate mother receives no direct compensation for her efforts or time. While there are “reasonable expenses” that may qualify for reimbursement, the laws that outline what these expenses are and how much a surrogate mother can be reimbursed for are vague and vary greatly between surrogacy agreements.  

In the US, couples can expect to pay in excess of £120,000 for a surrogacy. Not including travel costs and accommodation. However, despite these massive differences in the cost of programs, many UK parents find themselves embarking to the US for their surrogacy journey anyway. This is large because of the perks that money can buy when in this particular arrangement. In the US, additional “services” can easily be purchased as there are no caps on what a surrogacy can cost, or what a potential surrogate can demand in reparations. In one highly publicized case, Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly paid $10 million in order to keep the identity of his family’s surrogate birth mother a tightly guarded secret.

Qualifying Couples

In surrogate friendly states of the US, surrogacy programs and laws extend their services to just about anyone who needs to procure surrogacy. Married couples, including the LGBTQ+ communities, unmarried couples, single parents, and even individuals who require both egg and sperm donation (leaving no genetic tie between the intended parents and child).

Img source: nypost.com

While in contrast, the UK is not as lenient with their qualifying restrictions. Surrogacy in the UK is not open for single parents or couples who require both egg and sperm donations. Parents of homosexual households must petition for custodial rights through adoptive channels.

Legal Proceedings

In addition to qualifications of eligible partnerships, as well as a firm law against commercial surrogacy, the UK also requires intended parents to petition courts for custody of their child. The birth mother and her partner (if applicable) are named as the rightful parents on the UK birth certificate. In order to change this, the UK intended parents must navigate serval legal proceedings.

Also, surrogacy contracts that are created in the UK are not enforceable by law, where in contrast, in the US, the surrogacy agreement is seen as a legally binding document. Should the UK surrogate mother change her mind about giving the child to the intended parents follow birth, there is little legal recourse intended parents can take. In the US, all surrogacy agreements must be negotiated by licensed attorneys, to ensure that the contract fairly represents both the surrogate and the intended parents.

Surrogate Availability

Img source: theatlantic.com

Because of restrictions on commercial surrogacy, finding a surrogate has proved to be a somewhat difficult task for many UK intended parents. The US, offering and legally protecting, commercial surrogacy, allows prospective parents to choose from a large pool of possible surrogates. This can serve to significantly decrease wait times for the surrogacy process to begin.

In the UK, intended parents must either use a surrogacy organization, which must adhere to strict guidelines and be not for profit. Or, parents must attempt and find a surrogate on their own. Which can raise concerns about whether or not the woman in question is fit for surrogacy.

The US provides intended parents with surrogacy agencies that are generally fully involved throughout the entire process. Many of which will provide medical and legal counsel, as well as help with returning home and acting as a liaison between the surrogate and intended parents throughout the pregnancy. Some agencies will take their role a step further and help to arrange for travel and accommodation as well. It is possible to independently find a surrogate in the US, but it is not recommended due to the many legal ramifications of the process.

Powerful Dollar Could Weaken Oil

Published on
/

The oil industry has been the cornerstone of the economy of the United States as well as its foreign policy, and now, the currency is threatening to weaken it. In the last few weeks, the US Energy Information Administration has filed some reports stating that the prices of benchmark crude oil fell to $70 per barrel for Brent and $67 for a barrel for West Texas Intermediate. These were priced at $80 and $75 respectively.

What is worrying is that these reports come just a few months after the predictions that the benchmark crude prices would soar in the upcoming year. But considering everything that is going on – President Donald Trump’s tariffs on certain goods as well as the rise of the dollar – this is going to slow down the oil industry on a global level.

And if we scratch under the surface, you get to see how tariffs are affecting the emerging markets. When Washington introduced steel and aluminum tariffs as well as duties on solar panels and washing machines, for instance, countries such as China, Turkey, and South Korea responded by devaluating their currencies, effectively making the exports less costly.

“Suppose you were exporting something for $100 before the tariffs, then President Trump says we’re going to put on a 25-percent tariff – if you devalue your currency by 20 percent, that brings you back to close to $100,” says Steven Kopits, president of Princeton Energy Advisors, a consulting firm. “So there’s a natural tendency that countries depreciate their currency to maintain the transactions.”

What we have as a result is the more expensive US dollar, by comparison. As we know, the crude oil is traded in dollars, which means that oil becomes costlier to import and that will lower the demand and slow down the countries that chose to devalue their currencies to counter Trump tariffs. This transfers to the economic slowdown for the global market and can backfire and affect the US economy as well.

“This is one of those things where, can I go over and set my neighbor’s house on fire? Sure, you could. Does it mean that my house won’t burn down? Well it might not, but it could burn down your house, too,” Kopits says. “So if you set your neighbor’s house on fire, you probably have a problem.”

“The reaction within 60 minutes of this EIA release was wave after wave of selling,” Tom Kloza, head of global energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service, wrote after last week’s EIA analysis. “There have been several false ‘dive’ alarms sounded this summer, but this particular report may be the one that inflicts more lasting damage.”

image source: dollarsandart.com

Although the US stockpiles of crude oil have gone up, the oil used to keep the refineries that are running at a breakneck pace and crude exports are going down. “This is very bullish, as it suggests U.S. refiners anticipate strong refined product demand, either domestically or via exports,” Kopits says.

We have witnessed recent declines, but the oil prices are still on the highest points since the fall of 2014. According to Kloza, the EIA’s recent bulletins might seem “to cast plenty of doubt on crude oil and product prices headed into the final third of the year,” but they can “sometimes be taken too seriously.”

“I do believe the currency aspect of oil prices has been understated as of late,” Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com, writes in an email. “As we prepare for the conclusion of the U.S. summer driving season, the largest seasonal consumption in the world, oil prices may remain under [downward] pressure for the early fall. I can’t think of a time in the past that such policy has played such a role in oil prices globally, and this doesn’t look like it will end soon as the U.S. lashes out against multiple trading partners, cutting into the strength of their currency, and leading the dollar to higher ground.”

US Ready To Sanction Russia Because Of Poisoning!

Published on
///

The relations between The United States of America and Russia are always up and down. As soon as they get better, things take a big turn for the worse not that long after. Well, that is exactly what is going to happen again after this move that The States are about to make.

The red, white and blue are planning on imposing new sanctions on Russia since they had found out that Moscow is the one that is behind the poisoning a former Russian spy and his daughter. The poisoning happened in March this year, on the British soil.

It means that the Russians straight up broke the law since they used a lethal substance against the spy and his daughter, at least according to the State Department.

Back in March, Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yuila were found unconscious on the bench in Salisbury, a small British town. Novichok was the name of the substance that was used in order to make them sick. It’s a nerve agent that was developed during the Soviet-era. Luckily, they survived.

Of course, the Brits are going to welcome these sanctions by the United States of America. Even though Russia hasn’t made an official comment about this move that the US is making, the fact of the matter is that they have already denied any involvement in the poisoning of their former spy and his daughter.

image source: foxnews.com

Kremlin also stated that they had no involvement in the poisoning near Salisbury just a couple of months ago when a couple from The Great Britan was sickened – with one person surviving and one dying.

It has been said that the couple also picked up the bottle that had Novichok in it, the same lethal stuff that put Skripal’s in big trouble.

Trump did state that “nobody has been tougher on Russia” than The States, but this is a move that they have to make, not a choice of theirs.

White House Refuses to Explain Trump’s Ridiculous Wildfire Tweets?

Published on
/

More often than not, Trump tweets. And more often than not, these tweets make no sense. He has been ranting about how California environmental laws have worsened wildfires that are raging in the state, but White House either doesn’t want or doesn’t know how to explain his nonsensical rage on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Trump’s administration refused to offer any clarity about what is going on with the president’s series of tweets. He suggests that environmental laws and water regulations in California are making it difficult for the state authorities to extinguish the fires. According to wildfire experts and local officials, these claims aren’t true.

Even some of the White House officials are baffled by how POTUS managed to connect the problem California has with water and the division of limited supplies with the control of fires. Moreover, the officials are not familiar with whether Trump has met with California lawmakers and discussed this issue.

What did Donald Trump say?

One of the tweets was: “California wildfires are being magnified & made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amount of readily available water to be properly utilized.”

Then, he said that the water is “being diverted into the Pacific Ocean.”

After reiterating these claims on Monday, Trump called on Democratic California Gov. Jerry Brown to “allow the Free Flow of the vast amounts of water coming from the North and foolishly being diverted into the Pacific Ocean. Can be used for fires, farming and everything else.”

However, wildfire experts and California officials debunked Trump’s claims. On Tuesday, he told business leaders that a “very tough situation” is currently in California. “It’s been a very tough situation taking place in California for a number of years and we’re going to have to have some meetings about it,” president of the US said from his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club.

Even though he said that there are steps to be taken to “mitigate” the damage, he didn’t bother to clarify what are the things to be done.

He said he was “deeply grateful to firefighters and first responders” combating the flames, and said that his administration would do “everything in our power to protect those in harm’s way.” However, he didn’t repeat his earlier claims that water shortage in California is one of the reasons why the wildfire cannot be controlled and eventually put out.

image source: nbcnews.com

What do the experts say?

According to a FEMA official who spoke with CNN, there is no water shortage and no problem with access to water. These are not the reasons why the fires are still raging. Meanwhile, Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift declined to comment on the tweets. She said: “We don’t weigh in on the President’s tweets. We let those statements speak for themselves.”

“I was stunned when I read this this morning,” Henri Grissino-Mayer, a climatologist and biogeographer at the University of Tennessee, told CNN in an email. “California does NOT divert water to the ocean. Ridiculous.”

Grissino-Mayer noted that water “is diverted to the coastal cities for a constant water supply but all such water is used by the coastal communities.”

What’s happening?

Interestingly enough, there was a debate this summer, when California officials proposed a plan to limit the amount of water which can be drawn from the San Joaquin River to use it for the cities in California as well as farmlands. Trump’s tweet comes after that debate. The US president attempted to connect the debate to wildfires, but that didn’t turn out well for him.

As experts claim, it is the sweltering heat, as well as dry conditions that have led to the worst wildfires in the history of California. Laws have nothing to do with that. Of course, climate change is what caused the weather conditions to be as such, according to the specialists, but Trump said that was nothing but a hoax.

1 2 3 4