Shaquille O’Neal and His Mother Lucille Featured In Ad Campaign Together

If you think former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal is going away anytime soon… Think again! The basketball analyst, business man and TV commentator is featured in another commercial that pairs him up with his mother, Lucille O’Neal.

A family’s legacy is important and is at the core of a new campaign by printing company Epson. The global technology leader has launched an ad campaign that features Lucille and Shaquille, which shows and highlights the bond between a mother and her son as they reminisce childhood memories through their old photos.

“Our family enjoys so many great experiences together. My mom has always offered endless love and has made sure to regularly collect our childhood photos,” said Shaquille O’Neal in a press release. “But even the most organized mother needs a little help saving the most important memories. The Epson FastFoto makes it easy to capture and share these memories.”

The new “Preserve What’s Priceless” campaign will be shown and featured across a variety of digital and social media platforms. Even making Lucille O’Neal an Honorary “Chief Memory Officer” and ambassador for Epson’s line of FastFoto products.

“Family has always come first for me and I will forever cherish the memories we have together,” said Lucille O’Neal. “When Shaquille first mentioned the Epson FastFoto, I knew right away that this was a product that I could stand behind. Partnering with Epson allows me to show others how easy it is to preserve their memories.”

The campaign showcases the ease and benefits of preserving, enhancing, organizing, and sharing irreplaceable family memories using Epson’s FastFoto® FF-680W High-Speed Photo and Document Scanning System.

“The bond between Shaquille and Lucille echoes the closeness shared by so many families and friends, making them both ideal ambassadors for Epson’s ‘Preserve What’s Priceless’ campaign,” said Dan Murphy, head of international marketing communications, Epson America, Inc. “Special moments occur every day and grow over time to create a family’s legacy. Moreover, reliving the special moments through an old photo is something we can all relate to, and we hope the campaign encourages everyone to preserve their own memories. As Lucille shares in our new campaign, easily and quickly converting your most-prized photographs to digital with FastFoto truly ‘Preserves What’s Priceless’.”

Check this link to find out more about the Epson FastFoto Scanning solutions.

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Trump Campaign To Open Offices In 15 Black Communities

Despite the lack of concern for the Black community, we have to give the Trump campaign credit for trying to gain support from us. President Donald Trump is planning on opening offices in 15 Black communities according to National Public Radio.

President Trump’s re-election campaign has announced this week that it plans on opening 15 community centers in critical battleground states next month to gain support among Black people heading into the 2020 election. “We see the numbers coming up in the polls and the demand on the ground when we do these types of events, so it’s really important that we take this next step and really bring those voters into the party,” Katrina Pierson, a senior Trump campaign adviser tells NPR.

The Trump campaign sees an opportunity to show Black voters that Democrats have taken black voters for granted. According to The Hill, a Trump campaign official said their internal polling sees a rise in the support of President Trump, particularly in the cities where they plan on placing the first wave of community centers. The official states that Trump’s black support in those cities range between 15 to 30 percent.

“The Democratic Party has taken advantage of the black vote for a long time,” the campaign official told The Hill. “They’ve been able to get a high percentage of the vote. We’re able to communicate directly with a lot of these voters and they’re seeing the promises made in the past have not come true. A lot of the people who have promised them things have failed to live up to those promises.”

The plan is to gear the conversation towards criminal justice reform, investments in urban opportunity zones and historically black colleges and also the low unemployment rate for black people as evidence of Trump’s commitment to policies that benefit Black people.

“Last time it was ‘What the hell do you have to lose?’” said Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, who is married to the president’s daughter Ivanka and acts as an advisor. “Now you show them what they’ve gained from President Trump and what more they can gain if they get four more years of President Trump.”

“Republicans haven’t even gone in to deliver their message. Now we have a Republican who is actually going to the community to deliver the message and ask for the vote,” said senior campaign adviser Katrina Pierson tells NBC News. “It’s the same concept as being asleep for so long to the truth and now you are awake.”

The first wave of offices will be opened in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Miami, Fla.; Atlanta; Detroit; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro, N.C.; and Milwaukee.

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Is Debra Lee Considering Launching A Tech Fund to Back Women of Color?

Debra Lee, the former CEO of BET, recently hinted at the idea of starting a black women tech fund at the Upfront Summit in Pasadena, CA, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Lee was first asked by reporter Julia Boorstin about California’s mandate that boards of directors overseeing public companies include women; a law that passed in late 2018 that is being considered in numerous other states. Boorstin then asked about Goldman Sachs’s announcement from Davos that beginning in July, it won’t take public any company that doesn’t have at least one “diverse” board member, with a particular focus on women.

The initiative would have cost Goldman up to $101 million in underwriting fees from as many as 18 U.S. IPOs had the policy been effective in 2019, according to a new analysis by Bloomberg Law. That’s an estimated one-third of the $318.68 million that Goldman earned in advisory fees from the 59 U.S. IPOs it underwrote last year.

“I mean, we’ve been talking about this for so long that I understand why they did it,” Lee answered. “I think both initiatives are a good thing, because the companies aren’t going to do it. We’ve been talking about it for 30 years, and for a company to have a board now with no women or no people of color, they should be truly embarrassed. But there’s still a lot out there . . . it’s sad to see that we have to implement either, you know–California, Goldman–but we really have to hold these companies’ feet to the fire.”

The former BET chairman also hinted that she and others of her powerful friends are talking about creating a fund that would support women of color in tech.  Boorstin then took the opportunity to joke around with Lee. “So if you do create a fund, perhaps there’s some potential LPs [you could talk with here].”

“I would love that,” said Lee. “If you all know of anyone…”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3ciWmLU

Is Debra Lee Considering Launching A Tech Fund to Back Women of Color?

Debra Lee, the former CEO of BET, recently hinted at the idea of starting a black women tech fund at the Upfront Summit in Pasadena, CA, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Lee was first asked by reporter Julia Boorstin about California’s mandate that boards of directors overseeing public companies include women; a law that passed in late 2018 that is being considered in numerous other states. Boorstin then asked about Goldman Sachs’s announcement from Davos that beginning in July, it won’t take public any company that doesn’t have at least one “diverse” board member, with a particular focus on women.

The initiative would have cost Goldman up to $101 million in underwriting fees from as many as 18 U.S. IPOs had the policy been effective in 2019, according to a new analysis by Bloomberg Law. That’s an estimated one-third of the $318.68 million that Goldman earned in advisory fees from the 59 U.S. IPOs it underwrote last year.

“I mean, we’ve been talking about this for so long that I understand why they did it,” Lee answered. “I think both initiatives are a good thing, because the companies aren’t going to do it. We’ve been talking about it for 30 years, and for a company to have a board now with no women or no people of color, they should be truly embarrassed. But there’s still a lot out there . . . it’s sad to see that we have to implement either, you know–California, Goldman–but we really have to hold these companies’ feet to the fire.”

The former BET chairman also hinted that she and others of her powerful friends are talking about creating a fund that would support women of color in tech.  Boorstin then took the opportunity to joke around with Lee. “So if you do create a fund, perhaps there’s some potential LPs [you could talk with here].”

“I would love that,” said Lee. “If you all know of anyone…”

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Changes To Medicare Premiums In 2020

Medicare Premium Differences in 2020

Medicare premiums are on the rise. For seniors living on a retirement income, it’s important to know where the increase in cost is coming from. More importantly, it’s essential to learn how you can keep your monthly premiums as low as possible without sacrificing quality healthcare coverage. We will provide a cost breakdown for 2020 and will help you determine how you can save while still ensuring maximum coverage.

Medicare Deductibles 2020

Original Medicare comes in four parts – Part A, B, C, and D.

Part A: Covers hospital stays and expenses. Part A is automatically applied to anyone with Medicare.

Part B: Covers doctor expenses. Part B is optional but highly recommended.

Part C: Covers hospital, doctor, and often prescription drugs. Part C is optional, known as Medicare Advantage, and may help reduce overall healthcare costs.

Part D: Covers prescription drugs. Part D is optional but highly recommended.

Part B, C, and D all have deductibles.

Part A is usually free unless the person applying has worked less than 30 quarters and did not contribute to social security payments.

All premiums are adjusted based on income and change yearly. For 2020, all premiums will increase regardless of your income bracket.

Cost Adjustments

Here is a brief look at changes from 2019 to 2020 Medicare costs.

Part	2019 Cost	2020 Cost
Part A Premium	Usually free*	Usually free*
Part A Deductible	$1,364 deductible per benefit period	$1,408 deductible per benefit period
Part A Coinsurance per benefit period	Days 1-60: $0 per day	Days 1-60: $0 per day
	Days 61-90: $341 per day	Days 61-90: $352 per day
	Days 91+: $682 per “lifetime reserve” day up to 60 days	Days 91+: $704 per “lifetime reserve” day up to 60 days
	After lifetime reserve: All costs	After lifetime reserve: All costs
Part B Premium	$135.50+	$144.60+
Part B Deductible	$185	$198
Part B Coinsurance per benefit period	20% after deductible is met	20% after deductible is met
Part C Premium	Varies by plan	Varies by plan
Part D Premium	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

 *To qualify for free Part A Medicare coverage, an individual must have worked and contributed payment toward social security benefits for a minimum of 30 quarters or 7.5 years.

Medicare Part B Premiums 2020

Knowing how much you’ll be expected to pay for healthcare premiums is important when living on a fixed income. To determine the cost of your Part B premium you’ll need to check your 2018 tax information, as your income from two years prior determines 2020 premium costs.

If your yearly income for 2018 was:			Your 2020 premium will be:
Individual filing	Married filing jointly	Married filing separately
$87,000 or less	$174,000 or less	$87,000 or less	$144.60
$87,001 to $109,000	$174,001 to $218,000	N/A	$202.40
$109,001 to $136,000	$218,001 to $272,000	N/A	$289.20
$136,001 to $163,000	$272,001 to $326,000	N/A	$376.00
$163,001 to $499,999	$326,001 to $649,999	$87,001 to $412,999	$426.70
$500,000 +	$750,000 +	$413,000 +	$491.60

 

Part D Premium 2020

The same rules apply for your Part D coverage. Premium costs are associated with your 2018 tax return and vary by plan. The change for 2020 is that, depending on your income level, you will cover the cost of your Part D premium in addition to a surcharge. A higher income results in a greater surcharge. Here is a general estimate:

If your yearly income for 2018 was:			Your 2020 Premium will be:
Individual filing	Married filing jointly	Married filing separately
$87,000 or less	$174,000 or less	$87,000 or less	Plan premium only
$87,001 to $109,000	$174,001 to $218,000	N/A	Plan premium + $12.20
$109,001 to $136,000	$218,001 to $272,000	N/A	Plan premium + $31.50
$136,001 to $163,000	$272,001 to $326,000	N/A	Plan premium + $50.70
$163,001 to $499,999	$326,001 to $649,999	$87,001 to $412,999	Plan premium + $70.00
$500,000 +	$750,000 +	$413,000 +	Plan premium + $76.40

 

Income Changes

If changes in your income have occurred, call the Social Security office and submit proper documentation so you won’t have to pay more than necessary. Applicable changes include:

• Marriage, divorce, or widowhood.
• One or both parties stop working or reduce working hours.
• Loss of income-producing property due to natural disaster or another uncontrolled event.
• One or both parties experience ceasing, termination, or reorganization of an employer’s pension plan.
• One or both parties receive a settlement from an employer or former employer due to an employer’s business closing, bankruptcy, or reorganization.

Ways To Save On Medicare Costs

If you’re one of the 7.5 million seniors struggling to afford healthcare necessities like prescription drug coverage, there are savvy ways to save.

Medicare Advantage or Part C

Original Medicare Parts A and B only cover hospital and doctor fees, as seen in the first chart in this article. Unfortunately, this means necessities such as vision, dental, and hearing coverage are not included. If you want a prescription drug plan, you’ll need to purchase a separate plan, either Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan.

With a Medicare Advantage plan, you apply for Part A and B coverage, pay for it together and often receive extras such as vision, dental, and drug coverage. Here’s a snapshot of plan differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage in 2020.

	ORIGINAL MEDICARE	MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
Coverage	Part A and B	Part A, B, D + vision, dental, and hearing*
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs	No Maximum on OOP costs	Yearly limit on OOP costs. After OOP limit, members pay nothing.
Doctors and Hospitals	Any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare	Doctors and hospitals in your plan’s network. Out-of-network doctors and hospitals may incur higher costs.
Premiums	Part A – No premium Part B – Around $144.60+/mo.	Part B – Around $144.60+/mo. + plans start as low as $0/mo.
Deductibles	Part A – Around $1,408 Part B – Around $198	Deductibles and copays vary
Prescription Drug Coverage	Must purchase Part D or standalone drug coverage	Varies by plan

*Not all Medicare Advantage plans cover vision, dental, and hearing.

The biggest savings when choosing a Medicare Advantage plan is the included extras such as vision, dental, hearing, and drug coverage. Often, your Medicare Advantage premium will cost less than if you purchased Part A, B, D, and a hearing or vision plan individually.

Choose Medicare Plans 2020

Choosing the right Medicare plan for your health care is an important step to ensure a healthy and fulfilling future. Making a choice doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. Talk with a Medicare advisor to determine which plan and cost are right for you.

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