In a bitcoin state of mind…
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Cyber-currency is about to get a whole lot more…legit. Well, in New York State anyways, where the head of the New York Department of Financial Services, Ben Lawsky, just announced 44 pages worth of rules and regulations in order to obtain and retain a “BitLicense,” should you decide you want to engage in” bit-commerce.” If the thought of having to go through a long process to apply for such a license is nothing short of irritating to you, then go ahead and blame the litany of criminals who used cyber-currencies in order to perpetrate their crimes. It’s because of them that such a process was necessitated. After you gloss over those riveting 44 pages, get ready to pay a $5,000 fee – though I am not sure if you can pay that fee with bit coins. You’re also going to need a bitcoin monitor, aka “compliance officer,” specific for all your bitcoin needs (and wants). In case you were wondering what was wrong with our current laws dictating money transmission, they aren’t exactly current. In fact, they date back to the Civil War era. So I guess an update was in order.
Pill-popping…
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Some are calling it the Amazon.com of pharmacies because PillPack’s CEO, TJ Parker, grew up with pharmacist parents in their mom and pop pharmacy shop, and is now said to be revolutionizing the industry. PillPack Inc, a slightly new and very novel approach to dispensing your medicine, just raised some $50 million in its latest funding round. The company doesn’t just send you your prescriptions. It pre-packages them according to the date and time they need to be taken. The pills, from vitamins to prescription to over the counter meds, get sorted by robots and are delivered every two weeks. With robots in place, actual living, breathing human pharmacists can communicate more, whether it be with patients or healthcare providers. So simple, yet so genius. PillPack, besides being super convenient, actually has the potential to chop down on the annual $100 billion worth of medical “non-adherence” i.e. the loss of money resulting from mistakes in taking – and not taking – medication. The company intends to use the latest $50 million for business growth, more staff and the ever necessary marketing. PillPack accepts most prescription drug plans and most Medicare Part D Plans. The service is available in 47 states. As for Hawaii, sorry dude, but shipping costs to the Aloha State are just too darn expensive.
To sell? Or not to sell?
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That is the question, or rather, the vote that stands before the shareholders over at Kraft Foods. The lucky buyer in question is H.J. Heinz Co. which is owned by everybody’s favorite Omaha Oracle, Warren Buffet and his Berkshire Hathaway company, together with Brazilian investment firm, 3G Capital. It’s a rather big – make that enormous – deal, since selling to Heinz would create the one of the biggest food companies on the planet, with the potential to pull down revenues of $28 billion, give or take. The vote takes place July 1 and if the vote is in favor of selling to Heinz, then Kraft shareholders can rejoice as they get to take home a dividend of $16.50 per share that they own.
Pujonomics. 