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.

The Oral-B Genius X is an AI-Powered Toothbrush With a High Price Tag | Digital Trends

November 5, 2019November 4, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Brushing your teeth is one of the most important things you do every day. There’s nothing like cleaning the gunk off your teeth after a long night of particularly deep sleep, but studies indicate that many people don’t use proper technique when it comes to brushing. If you don’t brush long enough or skimp on certain areas, it can cause serious problems down the line. Oral-B’s new Geniux X electric toothbrush can help combat negligent oral hygiene with the help of onboard A.I.

It sounds complicated, but its operation is simple. The toothbrush connects to your phone via Bluetooth and activates a timer when you start brushing. It reminds you when to change positions and suggests where you should brush next. An array of sensors warn you if you’re using too much pressure and then awards an overall rating for how well you brushed.

McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook fired after dating employee | BBC News

November 4, 2019November 3, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

McDonald’s has fired its chief executive Steve Easterbrook after he had a relationship with an employee.

The US fast food giant said it had been consensual, but Mr Easterbrook had “violated company policy” and shown “poor judgement”.

In an email to staff, the British businessman acknowledged the relationship and said it was a mistake.

Daily Crunch: Twitter is banning political ads | TechCrunch

November 1, 2019October 31, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

1. Jack Dorsey says Twitter will ban all political ads

Arguing that “internet political ads present entirely new challenges to civic discourse,” CEO Jack Dorsey announced that Twitter will be banning all political advertising — albeit with “a few exceptions” like voter registration. Not only is this a decisive move by Twitter, but it also could increase pressure on Facebook to follow suit, or at least take steps in this direction.

Facebook Bringing Portal Video Chat Devices To Workplaces | Getentrepreneurial.com

October 31, 2019October 30, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Facebook is bringing its Portal devices to the workplace for people to make voice and video calls. Workplace by Facebook delivered a number of upgrades as part of its Flow by Workplace conference being held today in Menlo Park, including the fact that Workplace now has 3 million paid users, up from 2 million in February. The 8-inch Portal Mini and 10-inch redesigned Portal smart displaycome out next week. Portal devices will be able to speak with up to 50 participants in each video call, a company spokesperson told VentureBeat in an email.

As the split screen image above appears to illustrate, Workplace video calls will supply a shared work space, perhaps drawing on the same tech that will allow people to watch videos together with the Portal TV device due out next month. At launch, Workplace voice and video calls will not work with Portal TV.

Prime members can now get Whole Foods delivered with free Amazon Fresh | Mashable

October 30, 2019October 29, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Amazon really, really wants Prime Members to use its Amazon Fresh delivery service. So it’s getting rid of the steep $14.99/month fee for Prime members, and it’s adding groceries from your local Whole Foods.

Amazon Fresh is Amazon’s answer to grocery services like Instacart, offering home delivery or pickup for folks who, understandably, don’t want to wait 30 minutes at one of two open checkout lanes in a physical supermarket.

Besides getting rid of that monthly fee, Amazon also announced an expansion of Amazon Fresh delivery, making it available in “more than 2,000 cities and towns” with more to come. These locales are all based around nearly two dozen major metropolitan areas, including New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

AT&T agrees to a deal with activist shareholder Elliott Management | CNN

October 29, 2019October 28, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AT&T’s truce with Elliott Management — avoiding a protracted fight with one of the world’s most successful activist shareholders — sent the company’s stock to a 52-week high on Monday.

The plan, as described by Elliott Management, includes “significantly enhanced operational efficiency with meaningful margin expansion, a “full review of the portfolio,” and “no more major acquisitions.”

AT&T (T) CEO and Chairman Randall Stephenson heralded the resolution and said “I think our interests are 100% aligned. Seriously.”

Should we ban SUVs? | Fast Company

October 24, 2019October 23, 2019 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Over the last decade, global SUV ownership has doubled. In that time, the vehicles contributed more to the increase in global CO2 emissions than airlines, trucks, or heavy industry, according to an analysis by the International Energy Agency. Even if we add nearly 150 million electric cars to the road by 2040, if SUV ownership grows at its current rate, they’ll offset that entire emissions reduction. And while they’re spewing emissions, they also have a more tangible cost: They’re more likely than smaller cars to kill pedestrians, contributing to a steep rise in pedestrian deaths.