Debra Newby Watkins CPA – Page 17 – CPA's not only count, they make change.

Hope For The Urban Worker

But small manufacturers like Marlin are vital if the United States is to narrow the nation’s class divide and build a society that offers greater opportunities for everyone — rich and poor, black and white, high school graduates and Ph.D.s.

Factories such as Marlin Steel who make very specific products, are still providing jobs in the urban setting where there is a great need for employment. As more and more jobs are lost to automation and outsourcing, these smaller companies are making a difference and creating hope in cities across the U.S.

Read more about this current development here: Small Factories Emerge as a Weapon in the Fight Against Poverty. Maybe there truly is a light at the end of the tunnel for those seeking skilled work in urban settings and for the crisis of unemployment in our country.

Pay More Get More

After dismal 2015 customer service reviews with only 16% of stores nationwide meeting their goals in this area, Wal-Mart decide to try an almost unheard of idea in the arena of large discount stores. In early 2016, they increased employee wages across the board and began offering more focused training and streamlined schedules for hourly workers. This new investment has already shown promise in both company loyalty and customer reviews. The profit landscape is still not as sunny, but that’s another story. One where Amazon and Target play key antagonists. For now, have a look around your local Wal-Mart store and see if the good cheer, cleaner restrooms and well stocked shelves have reached your neck of the woods.

How Did Walmart Get Cleaner Stores and Higher Sales? It Paid Its People More

Married or Single?

The statistics show that many more older men are married than older women. Although there is the fact of womens vs. mens longevity, but Paula Span for the New York Times felt this could not be the only reason. What she found was that women, both widowed and divorced were better able to navigate the single life. With already supportive groups of friends, events, book clubs and volunteer jobs, women’s networks helped them blossom. Read more about her fascinating and somewhat familiar findings here, The Gray Gender Gap: Older Women Are Likelier to Go It Alone.

They’re Watching You

allinoneicon — https://disconnect.me The service recommended by this article.

We’re nearing the age envisioned in the movie Minority Report. Of course, they were arresting people before they could commit crimes, but remember all of the screens in the stores that would speak to John Anderton, or the directed advertising as he would walk past store windows and on his computer screen?

Companies are harvesting all kinds of information about you through the sites visited on your linked devices, and using it to send targeted advertising. Ever noticed that the ads on your browser change based on your recent searches? Brian X. Chen and Natasha Singer for the New York Times explore this phenomenon more closely in the article, Free Tools to Keep Those Creepy Online Ads From Watching You, as well as offering reviews of four tools that can help maintain your privacy.

Singer Cancels Austin Show Due to Campus Carry

From the beginning of this academic year, the campus carry law has allowed students at the University of Texas with concealed carry licenses to bring their weapons onto campus. Due to this law, folk singer Ray LaMontagne has cancelled his show scheducled for Thursday evening at the Bass Concert Hall. In a Facebook post he stated, “No matter how hard I try to understand the rationale for allowing guns on campus or more broadly, the ‘concealed carry’ law in general, I just cannot in any way support that ideology.” University officials confirmed that the campus carry law would indeed allow students to bring firearms into the concert venue.

College Financial Aid Changes

Proposed changes in the timeline for college financial aid offers will give students more time to weigh their options and make an informed choice about which school is the best fit. Starting this year, families can file FASFA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as early as Oct. 1st. This gives students more time to compare the affordability of various schools and to gather information about their educational programs, leading to a more informed choice and a better college experience.

At Last, Your Financial Aid Ordeal Has Gotten Easier

A Little Bird Told Me

So it’s the dead of summer, at least here in Texas and not really anywhere near Easter but I thought we could all use a little #FridayFun in our lives.

Anyone else love Peeps candy? They were created by the Just Born company of Brooklyn in 1953 and have been an Easter delicacy ever since. Enjoy the Peeps trivia in this article from the AARP magazine, 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Peeps and don’t worry, if reading this makes you crave that soft, sugary treat, they sell them year round!

This Just In
Workers at the Bethlehem, PA plant where they make Peeps have walked off the job in protest of a proposed change from a pension plan to a 401K. Might want to get your Peeps sooner rather than later. Although, the company is reportedly hiring replacement workers to keep production up and running.
‘No pension, no Peeps:’ Strike threatens holiday candy supplies

Stock Photography Profits to the Photographer

Imagine a site with amazing stock photos. Now imagine that the majority of the profits go directly to the photographers. That is exactly what Bruce Livingstone and Brianna Wettlaufer created not once, but twice. Previously they owned iStock which billed itself as “by creatives, for creatives.” This business was later acquired by Getty Photos. As the amount of royalties paid to photographers began to lessen, the team decided it was time to start again. Together they created Stocksy, where photographers are paid 50-75% of sales as well a 90% distribution of profits at the end of the year. Next time you need a stunning stock photos, give Stocksy a look.

A New Wrinkle in the Gig Economy: Workers Get Most of the Money

Long Term Care, Worth It Or Not?

Long term care insurance is quickly losing its shine. In the 1990s these policies were sold in large numbers and seen as the best way to preserve your style of living as you aged. Since that time, premium rate increases due to high claim volumes and low lapse rates have made the plans much less affordable. Darla Mercado for CNBC examines when these policies may be right for you and what other ways you can plan for unexpected care needs in Less is more: The dilemma over long term care insurance.

Are Mobile Banking Apps Safe?

42% of mobile phone users feel that banking apps leave personal information in some way unsafe. This doesn’t appear to actually stop them from using the convenient, snap and post check depositing services that most offer. Amit Ashbel, a cybersecurity expert, in the article, From download to deposit, mobile banking only as safe as your app, identifies the following safety practices as integral to a secure network.

–Solid password policies for apps.
–Out-of-band authentication.
–Tiered authentication.
–Limited log-in attempts.
–Proper error handling.

He also advises users to read all the fine print. Next time you need to make a deposit, take a moment to see if your app is up to these security standards.