From Scarcity to Sustainability: Unpacking the World's Water Security Crisis

Harvest time in Satoyama (YouTube link)

Table 1. List of countries classified as "water secure"

Globally observable changes to freshwater ecosystems and hydrological regimes are caused by human activities.^[1]

Water demand from a growing population has redefined the natural landscape into agricultural and urban land. Global precipitation and temperature changes exacerbate the problem. The quantity and quality of freshwater are compromised. 

Protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems will mitigate and strengthen resilience to climate change. For instance, wetlands trap carbon from the atmosphere and protect coastal areas from storm surges and inland areas from both floods and droughts by retaining water.

Water Security — Anson Mackay (YouTube link)

Water Security Levels

A recent Global Water Security Report by the United Nations University assessed the water security of different countries across the world.  This study assesses water security in countries by examining 10 different underlying components, ranging from water quality and sanitation to availability, resource stability, and climate-related risks.

Each component is given a score out of 10, with a nation’s overall water security score calculated from the sum.  In Table 1, we have listed a list of countries with security score of 75 and above, which is classified as “water secure”.

Worldwide Water Security Issues

In total, 113 countries are considered water insecure, including the world’s two most populated, India and China. An additional 24 countries are considered critically water insecure, with the largest by population including Pakistan and Ethiopia.  Read [3] for more details on water security level by country.

Because water scarcity over the world, we have started seeing battles over water are erupting across communities or even countries.  For example, here are the latest news headlines:

1. Thirsty Data Centers Are Making Hot Summers Even Scarier
• Battles are emerging between data center operators and adjacent communities over local water supplies in places such as Chile, Uruguay and parts of the southwestern US.
2. Taliban Prepare Suicide Bombers in Water Dispute With Iran
3. Texas Oilman Wants to Dam a River to Create a Giant Pool
4. Extreme Heat, Drought Drive Opposition to AI Data Centers
5. Egypt, Ethiopia Agree to Talks on Giant Nile Dam
6. The Water Trade Is Booming — and Sucking Australia Dry (12/27/2023)
• The booming trade raises concerns about water scarcity and allocation. Critics argue it prioritizes corporate profits over environmental needs and the rights of local communities. 

References

1. Summary Progress of SDG 6 — water and sanitation for all
2. worldpop.org
3. Visualizing The Global Population By Water Security Levels
4. Thirsty Data Centers Are Making Hot Summers Even Scarier
5. Taliban Prepare Suicide Bombers in Water Dispute With Iran
6. Texas Oilman Wants to Dam a River to Create a Giant Pool
7. Extreme Heat, Drought Drive Opposition to AI Data Centers
8. Egypt, Ethiopia Agree to Talks on Giant Nile Dam
9. Satoyama — Where People Live in Harmony with Nature in Japan

Reviews of Yahoo Small Business (Now Turbify)

Yahoo Small Business, now known as Turbify, is a suite of services designed to help your small business be found online. It includes:^[3]

• Domains
• Yahoo Small Business is a Tucows reseller.  If you plan to manage your domain name, check with Tucows Domains (the world's second largest domain registrar).
• Hosting
• WordPress hosting
• Email
• DIY web design with templates
• Professional web design
• Cloud-based e-commerce
• Localworks (online listings)
• Business Maker (various business tools)

Pros and Cons of Turbify

Based on [3], here are the pros and cons of using Turbify:

Pros

• Easy Drag-and-drop Editor
• Websites Are Mobile-friendly
• Ecommerce Tools Are Easy to Use
• Hosting Included
• Inexpensive
• Excellent Uptime
• Easy to Get Started
• Email Is Included
• Good Domain Features
• SSL Certificate Included
  

Cons

• Customer Service Is Minimal
• Limited Features
• Limited Integrations
• Outdated System
• All Hosting Is Shared
• Hard to Manage

Web Hosting vs Domain Registration

Hosting and domain are usually 2 different accounts:

• One account for web hosting
• Another account for  domain registration

If you’re on a free website builder plan you’ll have to use a subdomain.  For example, 

In the Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchy, a subdomain is a domain that is a part of another (main) domain. For example, if a domain offered an online store as part of their website example.com , it might use the subdomain shop.example.com.

Note that using a subdomain for a professional website is not recommended.  

Purchasing your domain name with a domain registrar means you’ll usually get a better deal, plus you’ll have no restrictions on transferring your domain if you move to a different website builder. It’s more technically involved, but any good website builder will have a guide to walk you through the process.  

As long as you pay the yearly registration fee your domain does not need hosting. It can just sit there with nothing connected to it.   

Of course if you let the HOSTING expire, you would lose all your content. Content is on the hosting, the domain just is a pointer to that.

Some builders offer a free domain name for a year if you sign up for an annual plan, however, you’ll have to pay extra to renew your domain name every year after that. 

Figure 1.  A domain transfer case submitted and processed by WIX.com

What if You Want to Cancel Your Account and Transfer Your Domain to Another Host Provider?

As its customer, Turbify will handle the registration and setup of your domain name if you purchase it through them.  But, it’s worth noting that you’re not required to purchase your domain name through your website builder.

When you decide to transfer your domain to another web provider, just remember that: 

Transferring your domain does not close your Turbify account. Once your transfer is complete, they'll send you an email confirming the transfer (you can also check this status with your new provider--it could take up to nine days). When you receive this confirmation, you may cancel your plan.

Please read the below article on Turbify for more details:

• How do I transfer my domain to a new registrar?

Finally, be noted that you need to wait ~7 days to transfer your domain. After your domain is transferred to a new website provider (e.g., WIX.com; See Figure 1), you won't be able to transfer it to another domain provider for 60 days.^[7]

References

1. 8 Best Website Builders - 2023 (websiteplanet.com)
2. Yahoo! Small Business (Quora)
3. Website Hosting With Yahoo Small Business (podium.com)
4. What do Tucows do?
• Tucows Domains is the world's second largest domain registrar. We manage millions of domains to help people and businesses all over the world find their places online.
5. Yahoo Small Business (trustradius.com)
6. How do I transfer my domain to a new registrar?
7. Why do I have to wait 60 days to transfer my domain?
8. Shopify Review (2023): Features, Pros And Cons
9. Wix Review 2023: Features, Pros & Cons
10. Wix vs Shopify
11. Wix—REVIEWS AND EXPERT OPINION
12. Transferring a Domain Purchased Elsewhere to Wix

How To Create A Facebook Business Page In 2023

 

How To Create A Facebook Business Page In 2023 (YouTube link)

Prerequisites of Creating a Facebook Business Page

Your business page is where people go to learn more about your business.  Make sure that yours has all of the information they may need.  Before you start creating a new Facebook (FB) account, you need to get the below information collected or steps done: 

• Creating your personal FB account if not done yet
• A good page name to identify your business
• A good category name you're operating in (e.g., Jewellery & watches company)
• Prepare a list of keywords that are related to your business (e.g., Jewellery, wholesaler, etc.)
• Preparing Bio information (optional)
• To tell people a little about what your business do
• Getting your business contact information ready
• Which includes contact (e.g., website, phone number, and email address), location and hours
• Preparing "profile picture" (i.e., logo for your business) and "cover photo" to be used
• You can create both using canva.com
• To customize your action button, what kind of engagement that you want?
• Prefer email over messaging, or want to drive traffic to your site (see Figure 1)?
• How to connect to WhatsApp to your page if you have the account (optional)
• To build your page audience, prepare a list of friends to invite to (optional)
• Connect your FB Page to an Instagram account via "Linked accounts" (optional)
• Write a welcome post under
• Settings > Professional dashboard > Create Welcome Post
• Create Automations
• To set up automations that manage your conversation and streamline your workflows, giving you more time to focus on your business
• Want to set up "Instant reply" to reply with a greeting when someone messages you for the first time via Settings > Inbox  > Automations > Instant reply

Figure 1.  Customize your action button with what kind of engagement you want

Figure 2.  Specifying Username to be exactly your business name if it's available

To Learn More...

• Learn how to choose the right domain name for your business: • How To Choose A D... 
• Learn how to create a free online store: • Ecwid Tutorial fo... 
• Learn how to create a logo for free with Canva: • How to Make a Log... 
• Learn how to connect your Facebook business page with Instagram: • How To Connect Fa... 
• Learn how to create an Instagram business account: • How To Create A I... 
• Learn how to use Meta Business Suite: • How To Use Meta B... 
• Learn how to use Meta Business Suite on mobile: • How To Use Meta B... 
• Get started with Canva for free here: https://canva.7eqqol.net/0qDG3

Social Security—What You Need to Know When You Get Benefits

When you apply for your social security benefits, it could take several months before it gets approved by Social Security Administration (SSA).  But, any overdue payments starting from your retirement month will still be paid in a lump-sum. 

In this article, we will cover details that you need to pay attention to after you start receiving your benefits, which include:

• Paying your taxes on benefits
• Changes that you need to report to SSA
• Other important information

Paying taxes on your benefits

You’ll have to pay taxes on your benefits if you file a federal tax return and your total income:

• > $25,000 as an individual
• > $32,000 as a joint return

To have federal taxes withheld, you need to 

• Complete and sign a Form W-4V (download link)
• Note that you aren’t required to have federal income tax withheld from social security benefits. Your request is voluntary.
• Return it to your local Social Security office by mail or in person.

What you need to report to SSA

If you're working

• You need to estimate your earnings for the year
• If your earnings will be higher or lower than you estimated, let SSA know as soon as possible so they can adjust your benefits

If you move

• You need to tell SSA your new address and phone number as soon as you know them.
• They’ll stop your benefits if they can’t contact you.

If you change direct deposit accounts

• New account information takes about 30 to 60 days to change.
• Don’t close your old account until after you make sure your Social Security benefits are deposited into the new account.

If a person isn’t able to manage funds

• A “representative payee” who you trust to manage your benefits can be chosen in advance.^[3]
• You can submit an Advance Designation request online (see [3] for more details).

If you get married or divorced 

• If you get married or divorced, your Social Security benefits may be affected, based on the kind of benefits you receive.
• If SSA stop your benefits because of marriage or remarriage, they may start them again if the marriage ends (read [4] for more details).

If you change your name

• If you change your name, you need to tell SSA right away; otherwise, payments may not reach your account.

If you have an outstanding felony or arrest warrant

You must tell SSA if you have an outstanding felony or arrest warrant for any of the following offenses: 

• Flight to avoid prosecution or confinement. 
• Escape from custody. 
• Flight-escape.

You can’t receive regular retirement, survivors, disability benefits, or any underpayments you may be due for any month in which there is an outstanding felony or arrest warrant for any of these offenses.

If you leave the United States

• If you’re a U.S. citizen, you can travel to or live in most foreign countries and not affect your Social Security benefits.
• Exceptions—Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
• Let SSA know if you plan to go outside the United States for a trip that lasts 30 days or more. 
• Read [4] for more details.
• If you aren’t a U.S. citizen and you return to live in the United States, you must provide evidence of your noncitizen status to continue to receive benefits.
• Read [5] fore more details.

If your citizen status changes

• If you aren’t a citizen, let us know if you become a U.S. citizen or your noncitizen status changes.
• If your immigration status expires, you must give us new evidence that shows you continue to be in the United States lawfully.

Other conditions

There are other conditions that you need to report to SSA, which include:

• If you receive benefits because you care for a child
• If someone adopts a child who receives benefits
• If you become a parent after you begin to receive benefits
• If you’re convicted of a criminal offense
• If you’ve committed a crime and are confined to an institution
• If a beneficiary dies
• If you’re receiving Social Security and Railroad Retirement benefits

How SSA will contact you

• They usually mail you a letter or notice when we want to contact you, but sometimes a Social Security representative may come to your home. 
• A Social Security representative may occasionally contact you by telephone if you have ongoing business with them
• If you've received a suspicious call, report details of the call to the Office of the InspectorGeneral.

Other Important Information

Read [4] for more information regarding the below condtions:

• Work and receive Social Security at the same time
• Retirement benefits for surviving spouses
• Benefits for children
• Can you get SSI?
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Medicare
• Contacting SSA

See also

1. Tax Underpayment Penalty: What It Is, Examples, and How to Avoid One
• To avoid an underpayment penalty, individuals generally must pay at minimum either 100% of last year’s tax or 90% of this year’s tax.
• Taxpayers should consult IRS Form 2210 to determine if they are required to report an underpayment and pay a penalty.
2. Tax Time Guide: Using electronic payment and agreement options for taxpayers who owe can help avoid penalties and interest
• An extension will help to avoid penalties and interest for failing to file on time, and gives taxpayers until Oct. 16, 2023, to file. However, they still must pay what they owe by the April 18 deadline.
3. A Guide for Representative Payees
4. What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits
5. Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States (Publication No. 05-10137)

Investment Strategy—DAX Is Also a China Play

Can DAX take it?

Based on The Market Year, it said that:

You buy DAX for more than the China play, but DAX is a big China play, and the recent Yuan implosion is starting to look rather extreme. We agree with BofA's latest hedge logic for Europe, especially as the chemicals sector is very shaky.

Divergency between DAX and $CNYUSD

Dogs of the Dow一an Investment Strategy

Table 1.  Dogs of the Dow 2023 as of 05/31/2023 (credit: [2])

The Dogs of the Dow is an investment strategy that focuses on stocks that pay dividends. By investing evenly in the top 10 dividend-yielding stocks, the hope is that you'll eventually outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the long term.^[2]

The Dogs of the Dow strategy is one where investors select the ten stocks that have the highest dividend yield from the stocks in the DoJones Industrial Index after the close of business on the last trading day of the year. 

Once the ten stocks are determined, an investor invests an equal dollar amount in each of the ten stocks and holds them for the entire next year. The popularity of the strategy is its singular focus on dividend yield.

This income/yield focus tends to lead to the Dow Dog strategy being a more value oriented one and the value style is out of favor in this year-to-date time frame (see Table 1).

Similar Investment Strategies

1. Dividend Aristocrats
• Companies that pay a growing dividend every year for at least 25 years (e.g. NOBL)
2. iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY)
• DVY contains dividend payers that have paid a dividend for at least 5-years

One factor in common with these dividend paying strategies is their underweight in technology stocks and the growth-oriented communication services stocks.^[2] 

With the increased focus on A.I. or artificial intelligence related stocks, mostly falling in the technology and communication services sectors, an underweight in these areas is a recipe for underperformance, at least through May this year.

Warning

On 07/19/2023, Bloomberg reported that:^[3] 

A $500 billion corporate-debt storm is building over the global economy now that the era of easy money is over. 

• Big corporate bankruptcies are piling up at the second-fastest pace since 2008, eclipsed only by the early days of the pandemic.
• This time feels different than prior cycles, said Richard Cooper, a partner at law firm Cleary Gottlieb. “You’re going to see a lot of defaults.”
• The rising tide of distress is, of course, somewhat by design. But if it rises too high, that may prompt the first broad-based cycle of defaults since the GFC.

So, if you're looking for a good Dividend Investing Strategy, do look for quality companies only and do your own research first.

References

1. What Is the Dogs of the Dow Investment Strategy?
2. Dividend Payers Lagging Broader Market Badly
3. A $500 Billion Corporate-Debt Storm Builds Over Global Economy

Investment—What's SG CTA Index?

On 11/18/2022, zerohedge.com reported that:

The market's recent swings have become so violent so powerful and so unexpected leading to bone-crushing whiplash and a near record loss for trend-following CTA funds during last Thursday's CPI shock...

 

What's CTA?

Even if they have commodity in their name (Commodity Trade Advisors), CTAs use futures strategies to profit from up and downs in price trends of regulated liquid markets. CTAs are often known as "Managed Futures Fund".^[1]

Since the strategy is a trending one, it is fair to say that it is a long gamma strategy. It does better as momentum builds. So volatility is good, but you need markets to trend in a direction for longer periods of time for the strategy to work.

You can read [2] for more details.

What's SG CTA Index? 

The SG CTA Index is designed to track the largest 20 (by AUM) CTAs and be representative of the managed futures space. Managers must meet the following criteria:

• Must be open to new investment
• Must report returns on a daily basis 

The CTA Index is equally weighted, and rebalanced and reconstituted annually.

Pros and Cons of CTAs

References

1. Diving into CTAs
2. CTAs: Shedding light on the black box