Author: knjohn

Can You Require a Switch to Direct Deposit? | Payroll Link

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083115_Thinkstock_125938356_lores_KKIt may not be long before paper paychecks go the way of the five-and-dime store and the VCR. They may soon become obsolete as “direct deposit” into bank accounts is the predominant method of paying employees. And why not? All of the banking — including depositing the amounts into the employee’s account and acceptance of the funds — can be completed with just a few clicks of a mouse. Employees don’t have to worry about losing their checks and it reduces payroll hassles for employers.

The move to the direct deposit method won’t be a change for the vast majority of U.S. employees. According to one survey by the American Payroll Association, 96% of employees are already using direct deposit. Chances are it’s even more common for workers located in remote sites. No more waiting for checks to arrive by snail mail and no trips to the bank to deposit the checks.

While we remain in the final transition period from paper to electronic payment, several questions may be raised about this technology.

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Why Cash Is Worth Fighting For | Co.Exist

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Financial writer Dominic Frisby is worried about the War on Cash. In the Guardian, he argues that the end of cash would be disastrous for all of us, from the poorest unbanked citizens to the regular Joe who just wants to own his own money, and to spend it—or save it—however he likes.

What concerns me is the unofficial war on cash that is going on, from the suspicion with which you are treated if you ever use large sums of cash to the campaign in Europe to decommission the €500 note. I’m not sure the consequences have been properly considered.

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California’s $15 Minimum Wage Deal Will Cause Unemployment–And We Have Proof Of This | Forbes

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California has reached a deal which will raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next few years. It’s likely to be formally announced by Jerry Brown later today. Such a deal raises such hopes, doesn’t it? All those poorly paid workers in Los Angeles and San Francisco will be able to pay their way in life. And yet there’s always that nagging doubt that such price fixing might turn around and bite us. And we actually do have proof of this: a report about what a $15 minimum wage will do to employment in Los Angeles City. This is not, by the way, a report by some from market fundamentalist like myself. This is from Michael Reich et al at Berkeley, stout supporters of a rise to $15. And yet even their report states that the net effect will be fewer jobs. And that’s after they play rather fast and loose with one of the major effects they are thinking of.

There’s also the problem that not all of California is all that rich so the towns of the Central Valley are going to have a much harder time. This simply isn’t going to work out well.

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Complaining Is Terrible for You, According to Science | Inc.com

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Why do people complain? Not to torture others with their negativity, surely. When most of us indulge in a bit of a moan, the idea is to “vent.” By getting our emotions out, we reason, we’ll feel better.

But science suggests there are a few serious flaws in that reasoning. One, not only does expressing negativity tend not to make us feel better, it’s also catching, making listeners feel worse. “People don’t break wind in elevators more than they have to. Venting anger is…similar to emotional farting in a closed area. It sounds like a good idea, but it’s dead wrong,” psychologist Jeffrey Lohr, who has studied venting, memorably explained.

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YouTube Is the Unsung Juggernaut of This Election Season | WIRED

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THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION season—okay circus—has been a ratings boon for network and cable news. Recently, CBS CEO Les Moonves even praised Donald Trump’s candidacy, saying, “It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS.”

But television networks aren’t the only ones benefiting from all this eye guzzling of political news. According to a new YouTube report released today, since April 2015, when most candidates began announcing their campaigns, a whopping 110 million hours of candidate- and issue-related content has been watched on YouTube.

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Ad of the Day: Carlsberg Created a Chocolate Bar. It’s a Bar. Made Entirely of Chocolate | Adweek

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In a departure from its usual fermented fare, Carlsberg has offered a new experience: A chocolate bar—that is, a drinking establishment made entirely out of chocolate.

The brewer built the edible edifice outside the Old Truman Brewery in London’s Shoreditch neighborhood, disguising it as a billboard in the shape of a giant chocolate bar (the confectioner’s kind), then unwrapping it to reveal the unusually sweet watering hole.

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What Are Triglycerides| Live Science

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Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood. They are the most common type of fat in the body. Triglycerides are necessary for health but in excess amounts, they may be harmful and may increase the risk of heart disease. For this reason, scientists think that triglyceride levels may be an important measure of metabolic health.

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6 Amazing Adventure Holidays For 2016! | Lifehack

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Even though many of us yearn all year round for the warm feeling of the white sandy beach between our toes, if you’re anything like me, then you get bored by about the third day – there’s only so much reading, listening to music and lounging around that can be done! It’s now time to start planning that summer holiday, and why not try something a little different this year?

These adventure trips offer a once in a lifetime opportunity that will have you throwing away your beach mat quicker than you can say “holiday”.

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