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Let it never be said that PayPal's leadership team confines its ambitions to Earth. PayPal founder Elon Musk, who also created SpaceX, says he wants to live the final days of his life on Mars. But who wants to go to space if you can't buy stuff? That's why PayPal is now talking about how to create a payment system that can be used on any planet. It's apparently not a joke. PayPal President David Marcus wrote a blog post yesterday about the launch of "PayPal Galactic" (that link doesn't work yet), an initiative developed in concert with the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). An announcement will be made today at the SETI Institute with moon traveler Buzz Aldrin and John Spencer, founder and president of the Space Tourism Society. To show he's serious, Marcus tweeted a picture of himself with Aldrin. PayPal says its wants to answer these questions: What will our standard currency look like in a truly cash-free interplanetary society? How will the banking systems have to adapt? How will risk and fraud management systems need to evolve? What regulations will we have to conform with? How will our customer support need to develop? Why start now? "Space travel is opening up for 'the rest of us' thanks to Virgin Galactic, Space X and a host of other space tourism programs including the Space Hotel that hopes to be in orbit by 2016," Marcus wrote. "The enabling infrastructure pieces are starting to come together, and as we start planning to inhabit other planets, the practical realities of life still need to be addressed." The need for a payment system off Earth already exists, he contended, writing that "[a]stronauts inhabiting space stations today still need to pay for life's necessities-from their bills back on Earth to their entertainment, like music and e-books, while in space." That problem has already been solved, however. Astronauts on the International Space Station have had access to the Internet and World Wide Web

Many people prefer using PayPal for online transactions. Because of its convenience and security. However, purchasing a PayPal account can take the convenience factor to a whole new level. Verified PayPal accounts for sale offer many advantages, including increased transaction limits and easier access to funds. Here are some essential tips on how to buy and use a verified PayPal account safely.

Book a flight online, perform an internet banking transaction or make an appointment with your doctor and, in the not-too-distant future, the 'Internet of Services' (IoS) will come into play. A paradigm shift in the way ICT systems and applications are designed, implemented, deployed and consumed, IoS promises many opportunities but also throws up big challenges - not least ensuring security and privacy, issues currently being tackled by EU-funded researchers. IoS is a vision of the future internet in which information, data and software applications - and the tools to develop them - are always accessible, whether locally stored on your own device, in the cloud, or arriving in real time from sensors. Whereas traditional software applications are designed largely to be used in isolation, IoS brings down the barriers, thereby lowering costs and stimulating innovation. Building on the success of cloud computing, IoS applications are built by composing services that are distributed over the network and aggregated and consumed at run-time in a demand-driven, flexible way. This new approach to software will make the development of applications and services easier - so that new and innovative services, not possible today, can be offered. It is likely to make a huge contribution to the EU's strategy to make Europe's software sector more competitive. You might want to read: http://hassbiggerprice.wordpress.com/tag/hass-associates-online-cyber-review-scam-du-jour-theyre-creative/ IoS services can be designed and implemented by producers, deployed by providers, aggregated by intermediaries and used by consumers. Anybody who wants to develop applications can use the resources in the Internet of Services to develop them, with little upfront investment and the possibility to build upon other people's efforts. In many ways IoS solves the challenges of interoperability and inefficiency that can plague traditional software systems, but it can also create new vulnerabilities. Ho

Data breaches can have a big effect on a merger's overall value. There appears to be a worrying level of complacency toward the assessment of cyber-risks during M&A deals, despite increasing awareness of the cybersecurity risks facing businesses. International law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer found in a survey shared with Infosecurity that 90% of respondents believe cyber-breaches would result in a reduction in deal value; and 83% of dealmakers believe a deal could be abandoned if cybersecurity breaches are identified during deal due diligence or mid-transaction. Yet, too few tie-up architects are addressing the threat. A majority (78%) say that cybersecurity is not a risk that is currently analyzed in-depth or dealt with in deal due diligence. "It's surprising that dealmakers recognize the growing threat of cyber-attacks to businesses, but generally aren't addressing that risk during deals," said Chris Forsyth, co-head of the firm's international cybersecurity team. "You wouldn't dream of buying a chemicals plant without assessing environmental risk, so why would you buy a data-driven business without assessing the risks its faces around data management and cyber-security?" The firm said that the effect of a cyber-incident on value would work both ways - a business with a good track record and robust processes could be worth more than competitors, while a business with a bad track record could be worth less.