When most people think of Go Daddy, they probably think of NASCAR superstar Danica Patrick and Super Bowl commercials. But before too long, you might be seeing this corporation on the New York Stock Exchange.
This domain name register and web host provider is interviewing banks to lead this financial venture. If they follow the typical IPO frame, and if all else goes well, they could be begin trading by summer or fall 2014. It’s trying to capitalize off the many, many businesses trying to go public. So far in 2014, more businesses have joined the NYSE than at anytime since 2007. This year, Go Daddy is expected to grow at least one percent. That may not sound like much, but keep in mind Go Daddy owns and/or operates 57 million web domains.
Go Daddy is growing up. It doesn’t depend on racy ads anymore. In fact, the last Super Bowl ad was more humorous than scandalous. That should be a clue of what’s coming.? Founded in 1997, they’re now taking the next step to becoming a major, serious corporation. So I applaud them there. But I’m weary of their timing. Yes, more companies are going public these days. So on paper, this looks like a great time to jump in. But I keep hearing lots of chatter, from many a financial experts, about an impending stock market crash that might be coming. Are they right? Will Go Daddy succeed on the stock market?
We know the headlines by heart by now. Edward Snowden. NSA surveillance. Target credit cards compromised. Sextortion. No wonder why some are calling for an online bill of rights.
World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee calls for an online ‘Magna Carta’. Lee believes this pact would protect the Internet from tyrannical governments and out of control greedy corporations. In an initiative called ‘The Web We Want’, every nation is called to produce an online bill of rights in which institutions, corporations and governments are expected to respect. Mr. Lee argues that if we don’t have an open and free Internet, we won’t have open democracy, media, healthcare, community or culture either. He’s been an outspoken critic of American and British spy agencies and what we’ve learned about how they’re listening to our cell phones and watching our computers, whether the person knows or approves of it or not.
You know we’re onto something when the father of the modern Internet is calling for a revolution in online privacy. Some say Lee and other advocates have blown this thing way over proportion. There are some voices who say this kind of surveillance is what is needed to catch the bad guys. These voices will also tell you, “If you’re not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about!” I’m not one of those voices. That’s because we live in age where even the most innocent things can easily be twisted and skewed into something far bigger than what it is. Plus, there’s that thing called the 4th amendment. So there’s legal protection right there. And ‘The Web We Want’ movement is growing. Will you join?
Apple is upgrading maps primarily for their iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch for their next iOS product. They are using these new and improved maps to compete with Google Maps and to fulfill a promise that Apple maps will live up to high standards. They will use technology developers like Cue and Gautier to help engineer these maps. And thanks to acquisitions of mapping companies like Broad Map, their data will be upgraded with better, more enhanced data. And these new iOS 8 maps will have public transit directions and directions to and from airports. It will start in major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, but will eventually spread? to other cities that have local commuter rail, subway and bus systems.
My response to this: we’ll see. We were promised a lot the last time Apple tried this mapping thing out and a lot was hyped up. Look at what happened. Their competition must have been laughing to the bank. But they’re using new people and even bought out acquisitions to help them out. That’s a good sign. But the thing that attracts me and I think will attract most people to these new maps is the public transit apps. More people are using public transit now than they have in decades, since the 1950s. So this will be a huge selling point, assuming it works this time. How much confidence do you have in the news iOS 8 maps?
Earlier this week, Bitcoin took a huge dive. I don’t know if it’s they will come back or not, but I just learned Bitcoin isn’t the only alternative currency.
There is a Native American Tribe called Lakota that has their own currency called Maza Coin. Native American community leader Payu Harris was at a Bitcoin conference earlier this week to promote Maza Coin. Harris sold it for a dime a piece. Maza Coin is a new crytocurrency that works like Bitcoin, the currency that approximates Internet cash. The Lakota tribes make around $220 million through Prairie Wind casino, but around a fourth of that stays in the community. With this coin, Harris hopes to build a currency that will better support the Lakota community.
He knows the government will fight him on this, and they kind of have. The US Treasury Dept. have proclaimed Maza Coin legal. However, issues have been raised about bookkeeping and how the monies are changing hands. Of course, some politicians want Maza Coin banned altogether. But Maza Coin isn’t the only Bitcoin spinoff. There have been several within the last 5 years. I think this kind of currency could be the wave of the future. Many people know the US dollar is in decline. Many people know other world currencies are in decline. I think Payu Harris has the right idea: invest in an alternative coin, and rally the community to do the same. Expect more Payu Harris’ in the future. By the way my cynical intuition is kicking in: Who really caused that Bitcoin fiasco to start with?
There’s a camera on every block and in every store. Someone can take a picture of you at any moment and blast it online. An employer can check your social media and refuse to hire you or fire you. Does privacy even exist anymore?
Apparently, this answer is yes…if you pay for it. There’s a New York Times article in which the author describes the literal cost of her privacy. These cost include $230 to encrypt her data on the Internet cloud, $35 for a privacy filter for her laptop, and $420 to bypass potential hacker and malware laced connections. Overall, $2,200 were spent to protect her online privacy.
I’m starting to empathize with this NY Times writer, in some ways. Sometimes, I like to browse travel websites for my next trip. Yet when I go to another site, surprise! That travel website has an online ad. Let’s not even get in the horror stories of hacking, from credit card theft, ID theft, even sextortion. But at what cost? I’ve gotten use to the ads following me around. I would pay the $35 for a privacy filter. And there are some steps you can take to keep your privacy private for free. I’ve always urged people to change their passwords often and not use the same passwords for all your accounts. So I ask you…Is $2200 a year a good investment on privacy or is it going overboard?
Facebook wants to buy Titan Aerospace for about $60 million dollars. Titan Aerospace is a company that makes solar powered drones that can stay in the air for five years without landing. One of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s passions is to supply Internet access for the billions who have no online access. They want to use these drones to blanket the world with the Internet, starting with Africa, the continent with the least access. These drones would be atmospheric satellites that will operate in orbit. They’re looking to build over 10,000 Solara 50/60 models. In the daytime, they ?store energy stretching 20KM above sea level, making them ripe for regional Internet systems.
I respect where Facebook’s heart is. I’ve always believe that in 2014, everyone should have online access if they’re going to even have a shot at global competition or to have a chance to stay in the race. But I’m weary about using drones to do it. That’s because drones have been in the news for not so good reasons: to spy on people, to get information on people and turn it against them, even to kill people. And thinking about what part of the world this is going to, this could easily happen. Do you think drones can be used to bring good to those who need it? Or are drones just inherently evil?
