Major U.S. airlines expand flight cancellations to China and Hong Kong | CNN

February 3, 2020February 2, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines announced more flight cancellations to China on Saturday as coronavirus cases rise rapidly.

Delta said it will suspend flights between the United States and China starting on Sunday until at least April 30, according to a press release.

That’s four days earlier than it had initially planned. Delta’s last China-bound flight leaves on Saturday, February 1 and its last returning flight from China to the United States leaves on Sunday.

Delta moved the date up after the US State Department warned this week that people should not travel to China due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in December.

Coronavirus outbreak is ‘public health emergency of international concern,’ WHO declares | Live Science

January 31, 2020January 30, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the new coronavirus outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern, officials announced today (Jan. 30).

The news comes as the case count and death toll from the virus have soared in recent days. As of Thursday (Jan. 30), there were 7,736 cases and 170 deaths in China, as well as 98 cases in 18 other countries, the WHO said.

What is AB5 and why are small businesses opposed to it? | Small Business Trends

January 28, 2020January 27, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The gig economy has upended the way people work, and policymakers are grappling on how to address this change. California is tackling the issue with Assembly Bill 5 or as it is commonly known AB5.

However, not all is going according to plan because US District Judge Roger Benitez in San Diego has temporarily blocked AB5. Why, because the law would impact around 70,000 independent truckers resulting in irreparable harm if their employers have to claim them as salaried employees.

The request comes from the California Trucking Association, but it is not the only organization. Two national groups representing photographers and freelancers also filed a suit. The American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Press Photographers Association say the law affects free speech and media.

Google Will Charge Law Enforcement to Access User Data | Digital Trends

January 27, 2020January 26, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Google has begun charging law enforcement for access to user data, according to a report by the New York Times. The company is levying fees of $45 for a subpoena, $60 for a wiretap, and $245 for a search warrant, according to documents reviewed by the NYT.

The company receives a high volume of requests from law enforcement agencies to hand over data about its users and has therefore decided to bring in charges to “offset the costs” of compiling this data. According to the report, Google is legally allowed to levy these charges but traditionally big technology companies have handed over data without any charges.

How Windows 7 Twice Saved Microsoft From Driving Over a Cliff | Digital Trends

January 27, 2020January 26, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Windows 7 is dead. And yet, at the time of support ending for Windows 7, 26% of PCs worldwide were still running the nearly 10-year-old operating system. It was a beloved piece of software that people have been clinging to for years.

But Windows 7 also plays an important role in Microsoft’s recent history. In two dire times of recent Microsoft history, Windows 7 was the stalwart operating system that kept the legacy of Windows alive and well.

This Hawaii Entrepreneur Has Dedicated His Post-Army Career to Helping His Fellow Veterans–And It All Started With Great Barbecue | Inc.com

January 22, 2020January 21, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It was the Fourth of July, so of course there would be fireworks. Des Cortes was dreading it. After five and a half years in the Navy that included deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Djibouti, Cortes knew the sound of explosions would trigger her. As the light display crackled across the sky that night in 2017 she stood in a Tin Hut BBQ truck on an air force base in Honolulu, struggling to count out the night’s receipts. “I couldn’t focus on what I was doing,” Cortes says. “I completely shut down.”

Fortunately her boss, Frank Diaz, was by her side–as he had been since she’d texted him about a job. PTSD had forced Cortes, at age 24, into early retirement from the military. Unable to find work, she’d been couch surfing with friends or living out of her car. Diaz, the founder of Tin Hut, hired her by text five minutes after she reached out and trained her one-on-one. Over the next two years he helped Cortes sign up for benefits and therapy through the Veteran’s Administration, found her temporary housing, and taught her to budget her money so she could move into her own apartment.

Netflix adds 8.8M subscribers despite growing competition | TechCrunch

January 22, 2020January 21, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Netflix grew by 8.8 million net subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to its latest earning report, putting its growth well ahead of its forecast of 7.6 million.

The company says it has 167 million paid memberships worldwide, with more than 100 million outside the United States. It also reported stronger-than-expected financials, with revenue of $5.47 billion and earnings per share of $1.30, compared to analyst estimates of $5.45 billion and EPS of 53 cents.

That’s all despite the launch of two major streaming services, Disney+ and Apple TV+, with more competition coming this year from WarnerMedia’s HBOMax and NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

Chick-fil-A Likely Loses Out on More Than $1 Billion in Sales Every Year by Closing on Sundays — and It’s a Brilliant Business Strategy | Entrepreneur

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Chick-fil-A likely loses millions of dollars by refusing to open on Sundays. But the strategy is still worth it for the chicken chain.

Chick-fil-A earned $10.46 billion in U.S. systemwide sales in 2018, despite being closed every Sunday. Missing out on 14% of possible open business days likely cost the chain more than $1 billion, according to 24/7 Wall Street.

What Is the IRS Debt Forgiveness Program? | Getentrepreneurial.com

January 21, 2020January 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Have you faced financial hardship or do you know someone who has? Hardships come in many forms, from unexpected health problems to a lost source of income. Whenever someone faces a sudden hardship, they may be unable to fully pay their taxes.

Despite any financial troubles you might currently have, you need to file your taxes to avoid penalties from the IRS. However, that doesn’t mean the agency isn’t willing to work out a reasonable solution for those facing dire money problems. Find out how the IRS debt forgiveness program works and if it is right for your current situation.

Panasonic’s compact, HDR-capable VR goggles actually look kinda cool | New Atlas

January 20, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Home VR is going to hit the mainstream big-time this decade, and personally, I can’t wait. If you’re yet to experience the insane ability this rising technology has to fully immerse you in a different time and place, you’re in for a treat. And if the giant, chunky facemasks you’re seeing in current-gen systems like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are a bit of a turn-off, Panasonic’s got the antidote for you.

These prototype VR specs are a set of digital John Lennon glasses, with eye cups and solid frame arms heading back to a set of earbuds. They look far less bulky and cumbersome than what you’re used to seeing, and they don’t require you to mess up your ‘do with a headband, but they still deliver UltraHD (at least 4K) resolution, enough to eliminate the “screen door” effect you can get on lower-resolution glasses.