Author: knjohn

Ann Arbor is reinventing the power company | Fast Company

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Most new renewable energy projects take the form of massive wind or solar farms. Ann Arbor, Michigan, is trying something different: a new city-owned utility is building a local power network within city limits, made up of solar microgrids and geothermal energy installed at homes and businesses.

“They’re creating a whole new model of energy delivery for a city,” says Mike Shriberg, a professor at University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability who lives in Ann Arbor.

The new utility won’t replace the area’s existing power company, DTE Energy. But it will help the city move much faster toward zero-carbon power.

Read More

Texas banned cultivated meat. Now, cultivated meat companies are suing | Fast Company

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Cultivated meat—meat grown from cells, not from whole animals—isn’t yet a widespread option in grocery stores or restaurants. The innovation, which involves growing meat from real animal cells without raising or slaughtering any animals, is still relatively rare. But already, Texas lawmakers have decided to ban it.

Now, two cultivated meat companies are fighting back with a federal lawsuit that challenges the ban. The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit public interest law firm, along with cultivated meat startups Wildtype and Upside Foods, argue that the Texas law is an unconstitutional move to protect the agriculture industry from competition.

Read More

8 Ways ChatGPT Can Make You a Better Writer | AllBusiness.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Writing can often feel like an intimidating endeavor, presenting the complex challenge of balancing multiple competing objectives. The craft demands a delicate nuance: one must sound professional yet authentic, creative yet clear, distinctive yet accessible. The process can seem overwhelming, particularly when faced with a blank page and the pressure of deadlines.

ChatGPT has emerged as a sophisticated writing companion, offering comprehensive support across the various stages of the writing process. Consider it a multifaceted tool that functions simultaneously as a brainstorming assistant, editor, idea generator, and writing coach.

This article, which uses research assistance from ChatGPT, will explore eight compelling strategies through which ChatGPT can transform your writing experience. We aim to address the inherent challenges of the writing process and demonstrate how technological assistance can make writing not just more manageable, but potentially more engaging and productive. Our goal is to illuminate the ways in which writers can leverage this innovative tool while maintaining their own voices and originality.

Read More

Smart Strategies to Improve Your Time Management (With Help From ChatGPT) | AllBusiness.com

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Time management is a crucial skill that can influence productivity, reduce stress, and help individuals achieve their personal and professional goals. The ability to manage time effectively allows you to make the most of your day and avoid the overwhelming feeling of tasks piling up. Without a strategic approach to managing your time, it’s easy to become distracted, procrastinate, or lose sight of your long-term objectives.

In today’s fast-paced world, where work demands and personal commitments seem to grow every day, mastering time management is more important than ever. Effective time management doesn’t necessarily mean doing more things; rather, it’s about prioritizing tasks, focusing on what matters most, and eliminating distractions. With the right strategies, anyone can transform their approach to time management and start achieving their goals more efficiently.

This article will outline 6 practical tips to improve your time management, followed by a look at how ChatGPT can help optimize your workflow. These strategies, backed by both traditional time management principles and modern tools and developed with the research assistance of ChatGPT, can make a big difference in how you approach your day and manage your commitments.

Read More

Shopify Simplifies Fulfillment with Unified Tools and Global Partnerships

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small business owners know that the journey begins with a sale, but it doesn’t end there. The real challenge often lies in fulfillment—an area that can consume countless hours if managed inefficiently. In a recent announcement, Shopify has unveiled significant enhancements to its built-in fulfillment capabilities, aiming to simplify the shipping process for merchants. This shift is particularly beneficial for small businesses looking to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction.

Shopify is addressing a common frustration: the need to juggle multiple systems for fulfillment. According to Vibhor Chhabra, Director of Product at Shopify, “Shipping used to be a necessary evil that pulled focus from running your business. Now you get a unified system that streamlines fulfillment workflows, so you can deliver fast and earn customer loyalty at any stage of growth.” This new model promises to make fulfillment more efficient, freeing up time for small business owners to focus on growth and customer engagement.

The revamped fulfillment features come with a host of key benefits designed for small businesses:

Read More

How to Write a Job Description: Expert Tips and Free Templates | Small Biz Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Crafting an effective job description is crucial for small business owners seeking to attract and retain the right talent. A well-written job description not only serves as a communication tool between employers and job seekers but also helps streamline the hiring process and ensures that candidates understand their roles and responsibilities.

This article will guide you through the process of creating a compelling job description template to make your hiring process smoother and more efficient.

Read More

Cyber Security Risks That Threaten Businesses | Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If your business depends on computer systems to operate, you need to understand the cyber risks you face and how they can impact your company. A cyberattack could leave you financially responsible for consumer losses and significantly impair your business operations for days or even weeks. In this article, we explain the different types of cyber risks and what you can do to reduce them.

What is cyber risk?

Cyber risk is the threat of data loss, property destruction, or ransom demands resulting from a hack of your company’s information technology (IT) systems. Cyberattacks can result in financial loss or disruption to your business. They can also harm your brand’s reputation if consumers don’t feel their information is secure with your organization.

Read More

How Telematics Systems Improve Business Fleets | Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Telematics technology is becoming a staple among businesses that use fleets of vehicles and heavy machinery. Telematics is more than just GPS tracking; it’s tech that offers you a gold mine of data. You can use that data to improve your bottom line and run your business and worksite more efficiently. The best telematics systems keep track of dozens of aspects and components, allowing you to build an improvement plan for your worksite.

The combination of GPS, monitoring systems, and a data-gathering interface makes up modern telematics systems. This allows you to keep track of individual vehicles when they’re out in the field. Not only is it smart to know where your vehicles are at all times, but you’ll also have a complete history of the fleet’s journey. Diagnostics allow you to monitor the status of machinery, whether or not it’s on-site.

Read More

Ridley Scott gives update on Gladiator 3 and next Alien movie | Digital Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Director Ridley Scott revealed several promising updates about two very intriguing films.

In an interview with The Guardian, Scott revealed that Gladiator 3 is “in process right now.” He also claimed that a third Alien prequel will come if he “gets an idea for it.”

Scott’s most recent film, Gladiator II, was well-received in theaters in 2024 and was listed in the National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films of the Year. This threequel could premiere to much more fanfare in the near future as it continues the story set in Gladiator II, most likely following Lucius (Paul Mescal) as the new leader of Rome.

Scott told The New York Times that he plans to film Gladiator 3 after completing both The Dog Stars and his Bee Gees biopic, the latter of which has yet to begin filming. Since Scott hasn’t come up with a story for another Alien prequel, it is now likely that Gladiator 3 will hit theaters sooner.

Read More

Star Wars: Starfighter cast revealed. Who will star alongside Ryan Gosling? | Digital Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We’ve long known that Star Wars: Starfighter would star Ryan Gosling, but as production gets underway, Lucasfilm has announced the full cast.

The film, which is directed by Shawn Levy, will star Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams, in addition to Gosling. Recommended Videos

Some of those names were already public knowledge, but Adams is a major revelation. As has been the case with all Star Wars projects over the last decade, Starfighter is shrouded in secrecy. It’s difficult to predict what role any of these actors, including Adams, might be playing.

Read More