Target and TJ Maxx are killing department stores | CNN

November 22, 2019November 21, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Department stores like Macy’s have a big problem, and it’s not Amazon: Discount retailers Target and TJMaxx continue to take their customers.

Macy’s struggled during its latest quarter, adding to a string of poor results at department stores. This comes as lower-priced retailers grow sales and consumer spending in the United States remains strong. Americans are still shopping, but they are hunting for bargains elsewhere.

Macy’s posted a sales decline of 3.9% at stores open for at least a year, the company said Thursday.

New Yorkers can now recycle Nespresso pods | Fast Company

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Brewing single-use coffee capsules can be a convenient way to start your morning, but they can be pretty inconvenient for the environment, quickly adding up to a lot of waste if you don’t recycle them properly. Now, New Yorkers can be confident their Nespresso pods will be recycled, thanks to an investment in the city’s sanitation programs funded by Nespresso itself.

Google Confirms Android Camera Security Threat: ‘Hundreds Of Millions’ Of Users Affected | Forbes

November 20, 2019November 19, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The security research team at Checkmarx has made something of a habit of uncovering alarming vulnerabilities, with past disclosures covering Amazon’s Alexa and Tinder. However, a discovery of vulnerabilities affecting Google and Samsung smartphones, with the potential to impact hundreds of millions of Android users, is the biggest to date. What did the researchers discover? Oh, only a way for an attacker to take control of smartphone camera apps and remotely take photos, record video, spy on your conversations by recording them as you lift the phone to your ear, identify your location, and more. All of this performed silently, in the background, with the user none the wiser.

Last Call: These Stores Are Closing Locations in 2020 | Investing Media Blog

November 19, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If your local mall has more and more begun resembling a post-apocalyptic ghost town, then chances are you’re already well aware of the “retail apocalypse” underway. Last year, amidst crashing retail sales nationwide, more than 5,800 American stores shut down across the country, with many brands declaring bankruptcy altogether. And while giants like Target and Walmart have managed to survive the ‘retailocalypse’ with their fleet (and sales) intact, others have been scrambling to adapt to customers’ growing demand for online shopping.

Former FDA adviser wants LASIK eye surgery banned | BGR

November 19, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

LASIK is one of the most popular kinds of eye procedures around. Once prohibitively expensive, laser eye surgery is now cheaper than ever, and patients often experience very little downtime afterward. Lots and lots of people love their results, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t complications, sometimes severe complications, in certain cases.

Now, a former adviser who worked with the Food and Drug Administration and voted to approve LASIK as a medical procedure, says that the FDA is ignoring data that suggests LASIK should be banned. As CBS News reports, Morris Waxler has regrets about his prior approval of LASIK, and wants the medical community to reevaluate the risks.

Dean Foods, America’s largest milk producer, files for bankruptcy | CNN

November 13, 2019November 12, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Dean Foods, America’s largest milk producer, is filing for bankruptcy. The 94-year-old company has struggled in recent years because Americans are drinking less cows milk. 2019 has been particularly brutal: the company’s sales tumbled 7% in the first half of the year, and profit fell 14%. Dean Foods (DF) stock has lost 80% this year.

The company, which produces some of the country’s most recognizable milk and dairy products, including Dairy Pure, Organic Valley and Land O’Lakes milks, has blamed its struggles on the “accelerated decline in the conventional white milk category.”

More women lawmakers flee politics due to online abuse | Fast Company

November 8, 2019November 6, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Last week, U.S. Congresswoman Katie Hill’s resignation speech detailed the abuse that drove her out of office. “I am leaving because of the thousands of vile threatening emails, calls and texts that made me fear for my life and the lives of the people that I care about.” She feared the “hundreds more photos and text messages that they would release bit by bit until they broke me down to nothing.”

This week, abuse is behind the decisions of many of the 18 female members of U.K. Parliament to not run for re-election, reports the New York Times.

IRS Announces Higher 2020 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits For 401(k)s And More | Forbes

November 8, 2019November 6, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

How much can you save for retirement in 2020? The Treasury Department has announced inflation-adjusted figures for retirement account savings for 2020: 401(k) contribution limits are up; traditional IRA contribution limits stay the same; almost all the other numbers are up.

The amount you can contribute to your 401(k) or similar workplace retirement plan goes up from $19,000 in 2019 to $19,500 in 2020. The 401(k) catch-up contribution limit—if you’re 50 or older in 2020—will be $6,500 for workplace plans, up from $6,000. But the amount you can contribute to an Individual Retirement Account stays the same for 2020: $6,000, with a $1,000 catch-up limit if you’re 50 or older.

Providing and Paying for Healthcare Major Challenge for Small Business | Small Business Trends

November 7, 2019November 6, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small Business Healthcare Statistics

Some 79% of small and midsize business owners say health insurance costs risk eating up their profitability. The healthcare industry is experiencing the biggest impact, while retail, professional and financial services report the least concern. Health insurance is a top-two expense, next to payroll that businesses generally don’t have a lot of control over.

Can Decentralization Solve Businesses’ Trust Problems? | Business

November 6, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As the internet has evolved, so have problems in general. In recent years, we’ve woken up to the fact that our personal data is one of the most valuable assets in the world right now. It’s also increasingly apparent that we don’t control that data.

Edward Snowden may be a controversial figure, but he was among the first to expose the stark reality of this problem back in 2014. When we discovered that the NSA had been using Google data to spy on citizens in the name of national security, it seemed like it could be a watershed moment.