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.

This is why women hold more jobs than men | CNN

January 17, 2020January 16, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Women held slightly more jobs than men in December — the first time that’s happened in nearly a decade.

The numbers are super close, with women holding 50.04% of American jobs, but economists note it’s a data point worth watching because it could mark a turning point in the US labor market.

2019 Was the Second Hottest Year on Record, NASA Says | Live Science

January 17, 2020January 16, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s the award no one wanted to win: 2019 was the second hottest year on record, government scientists confirmed yesterday (Jan. 15).

That’s according to two separate analyses: one conducted by NASA and one by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Each study compared 2019 Earth temperature data with scientists’ historical records, which begin in 1880. Of those 140 years, only 2016 was warmer than last year; the analyses also show that the five hottest years on record have been the five years beginning in 2015

Package delivery emissions could increase 30% by 2030 | Fast Company

January 16, 2020January 15, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The rise in e-commerce is wreaking havoc on our cities, the millions of packages delivered each day are worsening traffic congestion and generating a glut of emissions—and these side effects of online shopping are only expected to get worse. The demand for this kind of urban, last-mile delivery will increase 78% by 2030, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum, and without serious, effective change, delivery-related carbon emissions could increase more than 30% in the world’s top 100 cities in the next 10 years.