Why more people are suddenly dying on U.S. roads | Money CNN

September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

U.S. roads have taken a deadlier turn to a degree we haven’t seen in nearly five decades.

For years, statistics surrounding road safety had seen a vast improvement. But now that’s changed.

In 2015, there were 35,092 reported deaths on U.S. roads, up 7.2% from 2014 — the largest jump since 1966. Meanwhile, the National Safety Council said last week 2016 is on track to be even worse. Fatalities were up 9% in the first half of the year.

The federal government on Monday issued what it called an unprecedented call to action to determine what’s gone wrong.

So what can we blame for this sudden reversal? Some of the answers from experts might surprise you: smartphone use, fracking — a trendy method of drilling for oil — climate change and a strong economy all play a role.

Twitter is letting you make money off your followers by showing them video ads | Mashable

August 31, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Twitter is offering some of its most influential users a cut of the money it makes off of their posts in a push to populate the platform with more in-house video.

Starting Tuesday, publishers and other high-profile accounts will be able to mark a box on each video tweet they send indicating that they’d like to tack on a pre-roll promotion, the social network announced. Twitter will then share with them a portion of the revenue it collects on those ads.

The deal will give users the lion’s share of the revenue — 70 percent — while Twitter takes 30 percent for itself, a person familiar with the arrangement said.

ITT Tech has ceased enrollments | Business Insider

August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For-profit educator ITT Technical Institute announced Monday that it will no longer accept any new enrollments, according to a notice at the top its website.

The news came four days after the US Department of Education (ED) imposed sanctions on ITT Education Services, the college chain’s parent company, barring the school from enrolling students who use federal financial aid and requiring ITT to provide a letter of credit showing it’s sufficiently funded.

Those sanctions will likely cause the demise of ITT Tech, according to Ben Miller, a senior director at the Center for American Progress and a former senior policy advisor at the Department of Education (ED).

Sorry, But Your Browser Password Manager Probably Isn’t Enough | WIRED

August 30, 2016September 1, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AS YOU NAVIGATE through Chrome, or Safari, or Firefox, or whatever your browser of choice is, you’re often given an enticing option: Would you like us to save your password? A recent browser breach is a reminder that if you answer yes, you’re taking a risk.

Late last week, the browser Opera confirmed a successful attack on its systems. The hackers were likely able to access personal information, company developer Tarquin Wilton-Jones wrote in a post announcing the breach, “including some of our sync users’ passwords and account information.”

EpiPen maker to sell cheaper generic version | BBC News

August 29, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The maker of the EpiPen will start selling a generic version in the wake of criticism about steep price increases.

Mylan said it expected to start selling a cheaper generic product “in several weeks” at a list price of $300 (£230).

That is about half the list price of the existing product, which is used in emergencies for severe food and insect allergies.

The cost of EpiPens in the US has risen by 500% in less than a decade.

Mylan said the generic version would be identical to the branded EpiPen, which costs $600 for two doses.

Flight Delayed? Here’s Why It’s Probably the Airline’s Fault | Inc.com

August 25, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s the euphemisms that kill you.

You get to the airport early. You check in. You get to the gate.

And then you get slapped in the face by “operational difficulties.”

At least that’s the phrase I seem to have heard once too often when I’m desperate to just get home.

You might imagine, though, that especially in the summertime of storms, that the weather is actually the biggest cause of flight delays.

Not any more, it isn’t.

Neither is someone in air-traffic control pushing the wrong button.

Protect Yourself From Common Credit Card Scams | All Business

August 25, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Credit card fraud is growing over the Internet, email, traditional mail, and telephone. “Phishing” is when scammers send out fraudulent emails asking for your personal information, such as your credit card number or bank account number. Never respond to these—delete them immediately.

In a similar phishing scam, someone may phone you pretending to be your bank, the fraud department of your credit card company, or another organization, and may ask to “verify your information” or “verify you are in possession of your card.” They often ask for your 3-digit verification code on the back of the card or ask for the first 12 digits of your card (they may already have the last 4 digits from a discarded receipt). Reputable companies do not call and ask for this information. If you did not initiate the call, do not give them any information and hang up immediately.

This Just In: COLLEGE SHAKE DOWN

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ CBPS ~ Leave a comment

Shit is more expensive

Courtesy CB Insights

Everybody (except colleges) is complaining about the cost of a university education. This graph makes it clear how bad it really is.

On the plus side, mobile apps and SaaS are making software affordable, and if you have any money left over after paying for your education, childcare and healthcare, you can get a great deal on toys.

Deadly Louisiana Flooding Claimed at Least 13 Lives, Damaged 60,000 Homes | ABC News

August 22, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Ten days after deadly flash flooding tore through southeastern Louisiana, tens of thousands of devastated residents are working to recover.

As of this morning, 60,700 homes were reported to be damaged or destroyed throughout the state and 102,000 people have registered for federal assistance, said Mike Steele, spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

The flash flooding first struck the Baton Rouge area Aug. 12, forcing unsuspecting residents out of their homes.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has called the flood that killed at least 13 “unprecedented” and “historic.” The situation was declared an emergency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) called in to provide resources and funding to help with recovery efforts.

For some displaced residents, it brought back painful memories of evacuating during Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago.

IRS Employee Responsible For Helping Taxpayers Stole From Them Instead | Forbes

August 22, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Nakeisha Hall’s job was to help taxpayers. Hall, the daughter of a long-time IRS employee, started working for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2000. In 2007, she began work at the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) office in Birmingham, Alabama and subsequently worked in TAS offices in Nebraska, Louisiana, and Utah. At TAS, Hall was responsible for helping taxpayers who were having difficulties with the IRS, including victims of identity theft.

As it turns out, Hall wasn’t doing her job. Instead, she was using her job to steal from taxpayers.