Where are all the robots? | TechCrunch

June 16, 2020June 14, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We were promised robots everywhere — fully autonomous robots that will drive our cars end-to-end, clean our dishes, drive our freight, make our food, pipette and do our lab work, write our legal documents, mow the lawn, balance our books and even clean our houses.

And yet instead of Terminator or WALL-E or HAL 9000 or R2-D2, all we got is Facebook serving us ads we don’t want to click on, Netflix recommending us another movie that we probably shouldn’t stay up to watch, and iRobot’s Roomba.

So what went wrong? Where are all the robots?

How to Clean Up Your Old Posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram | WIRED

June 16, 2020June 14, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

AS SOCIAL MEDIA platforms have evolved, they’ve become more and more about the moment—what you’re doing now, rather than what you were doing five years ago. While looking back through photos and posts can be heart-warming and provide a buzz of nostalgia, it can also be painful and embarrassing.

If your social media life spans more than a few years then you might not want friends, family, or prospective employers looking back on the sort of person that you used to be. Here we’ll show you how you can scrub your timelines on the three biggest social platforms, using both built-in tools and third-party add-ons.

How to Get Ongoing Media Exposure Using Seasonal Stories | Entrepreneur

June 15, 2020June 14, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Seasonal stories are events that are celebrated, often worldwide, every year such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Black Friday, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, Halloween, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Seasonal stories also include the 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn/fall, and winter.

Pitching seasonal stories is a great way of getting regular media exposure and as the event happens at the same time every year, as a business owner, you can prepare for them in advance and use the same or similar angle year after year.

Snazzy Garden Shed Doubles As Rainwater Runoff Solution | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

June 12, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When most people think of a garden shed, they more than likely conjure up simple images of utilitarian boxes stored with barely-used tools and oodles of clutter. However, when Maryland-based practice Gardner Architects was tasked with installing a small garden shed for homeowners in the community of Bethesda, they came up with a gorgeous 100-square-foot shed that not only blends in harmoniously with the main home, but actively helps manage stormwater runoff to be re-used as irrigation for the native plants found on the property.

Although the task of building a garden shed may seem pretty straightforward at first, in reality, the team from Gardner Architects came up against quite a few challenges before they could get to work on the design. First and foremost, the landscape surrounding the main home is comprised of dense woodland, which the homeowners wanted to protect at all costs, meaning that no trees could be removed to make space for the shed. The solution then was to build the shed just mere steps away from the home, preserving all of the trees found on the property’s .34 acres.

How To Make Cereal Pancake, Latest TikTok Trend | HYPEBAE

June 12, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you’re bored in the house and you’re in the house bored, pancake cereal is the next recipe to add to your list of TikTok-famous foods. Essentially a batch of mini pancakes doused in maple syrup and butter, the new trend has even led to IHOP teasing a new cereal dubbed Panflakes. To learn more about the recipe and variations to try, read our quick guide to the delectable treat.

Just like most other viral TikTok food trends like the three-ingredient peanut butter cookie and dalgona coffee, pancake cereal is easy to make. The recipe begins with making regular pancake batter, which can be store-bought or made at home using flour, eggs and milk. After pouring the mixture into a Zip-loc bag or squeeze bottle, all you need to do is make mini pancakes by squeezing out small portions of the batter onto a buttered pan. Once they’re golden brown, toss them around and let them cook a few minutes more to achieve a crispy texture. To finish off, serve in a bowl with butter, maple syrup or any topping of your choice, along with milk if preferred.

Best Instant Pots 2020: A guide to the Duo Nova, Ultra, Max, and more | Mashable

June 11, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

What does an Instant Pot do?

Translation: Why can’t I just get a regular slow cooker? Instant Pots use 70 percent less energy than the average pressure cooker, but somehow cook food, as their title states, instantly — well, 2-10 times faster, but it’s the closest to instant you’re gonna get. But they’re also slow cookers. Crazy, right?

This means that dishes that traditionally need all night to cook can be ready in 20 minutes, which makes the torture of impatiently waiting to eat far less painful, and saves you from the “screw it, let’s get takeout” mindset after a long day. All Instant Pots can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, cook rice, steam, and warm, and as you climb the ladder of different models, buttons for things like cake making, roasting, and sous vide appear. When one appliance can do so many things, it also nixes the need to purchase and find storage for a separate kitchen devices, like a slow cooker or egg cooker.

Oil is up $80 in seven weeks. The remarkable recovery could be too good to be true | CNN

June 11, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The oil market has rapidly recovered from its darkest day ever. US crude topped $40 a barrel this week. That wouldn’t typically be notable — but right now, that marks an $80 leap from its unprecedented trip below zero just seven weeks ago, when it hit a low of -$40.32 a barrel on April 20. Meanwhile Brent crude, the world benchmark, has more than doubled since mid-April.

The remarkable oil recovery is being driven by hopes of a sharp rebound in the world economy from the coronavirus pandemic that crushed demand for gasoline, jet fuel and diesel.

The oil comeback also reflects enthusiasm for record-setting production cuts by OPEC, Russia and their allies, plus the sharp pullback in output from the United States, the world’s leading producer.

Under the sea: 50 breathtaking images from our oceans | Live Science

June 10, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

The most stunning sights from under the waves

The sea continues to be a source of great exploration and enchantment for many. With its charismatic (and sometimes elusive) wildlife, stunning plant life and even shipwrecks and underwater statues, there are so many wonders to appreciate under the waves. But you don’t have to be an experienced diver to take a look at these 50 amazing sights from our oceans — We’ve gathered them here for you.

How to Beat Common Workplace Confidence Killers | Business News Daily

June 10, 2020June 9, 2020 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Some people seem to have it all together. You know the type: The peppy employee who is always ready to share their ideas or take on new assignments. Their can-do attitude manages to convince those around them, including themselves, that they’re an asset. There’s one feeling they embrace that many struggle to find: confidence.

Some workers are wracked with doubt and fear, unable to take necessary risks or voice their insights. However, confidence is as much a skill as it is an outlook.

To succeed in business – and life – it is important to avoid confidence-killing beliefs and manage, sometimes with great restraint, difficult personalities.