The Strangest Business Patents of the Year | Business

October 24, 2022October 23, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Many businesses enter a preestablished market — restaurants and bars, for example, or office supply manufacturers — but some attempt to establish a brand-new market. It takes innovators to change the world through boldness and risk. Unfortunately, not every innovator actually manages to change anything. Whether the following products are destined for revolutionary glory or just too far ahead of their time to find a customer base, we salute them.

The Salt-Enhancing Chopsticks

About 9 in 10 Americans consume excessive sodium, according to the CDC. While this can lead to cardiovascular complications, let’s face it: Salt tastes really good.

But what if a small amount could taste just as good as a heaping spoonful?

Gardyn review: easy gardening for a high price | Digital Trends

October 24, 2022October 23, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Do you like to cook? Even if you don’t fancy yourself much of a chef (and yes, I know that term is reserved for professionals — just go with it), there’s something about being able to spice up a premade jar of marinara sauce or hit just that perfect spice combination to take a dinner from run-of-the-mill to extraordinary. Who says you can’t eat great on a Thursday night?

Fresh ingredients are the key to great dinners. As I’ve said before, I’m a fan of smart gardens. If you live somewhere without a lot of space or you just don’t think you can keep plants alive, smart gardens take the guesswork out of it for you. When Gardyn reached out and offered me the chance to test out their Gardyn 2.0, I jumped at the chance. This thing is massive — it can hold 30 plants and basically does all the work for me. All I have to do is sit back and reap the rewards.

Well, mostly.

How To Avoid Gold IRA Scams: 5 Tips for You | The Startup Magazine

October 21, 2022October 19, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Precious stones are part of investments that many people want to consider. Investments, just like any other financial opportunity, are susceptible to scams. It is necessary to read reviews and research before giving away your money. You can check out the US money reserve review to know more.

Gold IRA scams are inevitable since one can get easy money from trading and collecting them. As an investor, you need to know every transaction you will enter. Avoiding scam is part of an investor’s job. Thus, to join this type of business, you need to learn some skills to identify bad transactions.

TikTok’s ‘Board Parties’ May Have Reached Their Apex | WIRED

October 21, 2022October 19, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

ONE BY ONE, 10 grinning people walk into a room, elbows bent and forearms outstretched as they curtsy slightly to show the camera what they’re carrying. The first is holding a board laden with potato-and-pastry-based beige treats; the second appears with a board full of scattered chips and a few jars of dip. The third person is also holding a board—this time featuring slices of pizza.

The fourth person’s board has wings, the seventh’s is an artfully arranged rainbow of candy, and the ninth’s has the most recognizable board fodder: meat and cheese. This is a TikTok of 21-year-old Rayann Prophet’s “board night,” also known as a “bring a board” night—which is exactly what it sounds like.

Ukrainians told to ‘charge everything’ as power grid hit by Russia | BBC News

October 20, 2022October 19, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Ukraine’s national energy company has urged citizens to “charge everything” by 07:00 (04:00 GMT) Thursday because of expected power cuts caused by Russian missile strikes.

Energy plants were hit by Russian missiles again on Wednesday – part of a wave of such strikes since 10 October.

Outages of up to four hours at a time will affect the whole country on Thursday, grid operator Ukrenergo said.

Phones, power banks, torches and batteries need to be charged, it urged.

Tesla Q3 revenue falls short of expectations, while energy unit shows growth | TechCrunch

October 20, 2022October 19, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Tesla reported Wednesday reported revenue of $21.45 billion in the third quarter, another record-setting period that still missed analysts expectations.

Shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading following the earnings release.

Tesla’s net income for the third quarter was $3.3 billion nearly double the $1.62 billion it earned in the same period last year. The company said profits were squeezed by increases in raw material costs as well as issues ramping up production at its Germany and Texas factories as well as 4680 battery cell production. Tesla also cited a strengthening dollar as another factor in its third quarter results.

Pilots Use This Checklist to Analyze and Reduce Flight Risks. Here’s How It Can Help Entrepreneurs, Too. | Entrepreneur

October 19, 2022October 17, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Checklists are a hallmark of organized and successful people. Checklists characterized by mnemonic reminders often are ones that people remember and actually use daily. In aviation, the PAVE checklist serves as one of the fundamental tools that pilots use to analyze and reduce risk.

“P” stands for the pilot. “A” stands for the aircraft. “V” stands for the “enVironment.” “E” stands for external pressures. Before each take-off, pilots must run down the PAVE checklist and honestly assess: Am I fit to fly? Is my aircraft fit to fly? The PAVE checklist literally keeps millions of passengers safe every day in the air. By using this same checklist, successful entrepreneurs can also manage and overcome approaching hazards for their own businesses.

Although entrepreneurs captain vehicles of different kinds, they share many of the same responsibilities as pilots. Companies are constantly changing, the entrepreneurial landscape is vast, and markets are fickle. An entrepreneur’s top priority is to spot potential hazards before they snowball out of control.

NASA will attempt a moon launch in November. So will someone else. | Mashable

October 19, 2022October 17, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

November could be a hectic month for launches to the moon.

Yes, that’s “launches,” plural.

If there were any skepticism on whether the world has entered a new space race, the dueling lunar-bound liftoffs coming next month could be the smoking gun. After NASA waived-off two launch attempts in late August and early September — followed by a delay courtesy of Hurricane Ian — the U.S. space agency will try again to send up its first Artemis mission on Nov. 14, with backup dates of Nov. 16 and 19.

What to do with your old phones, gadgets and other e-waste | CNN Business

October 18, 2022October 16, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the past two months, Apple, Google and Samsung have all unveiled their newest smartphones and other devices with the goal of getting consumers to upgrade ahead of the holidays. But in the process, these and other companies may also be adding to a growing problem: electronic waste.

The limited lifespan of many tech gadgets combined with few options to fix older devices, have caused the issue of e-waste to surge over the years. United Nation’s data indicates the world generated a staggering 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste in 2019, and only 17.4% of that was recycled.

Friday marks International E-Waste Day, an annual opportunity to reflect on the impacts of electronic waste and do more to repair or recycle them. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) Forum, a Brussels-based nonprofit that has spearheaded the occasion since 2018, said the focus this year is on taking action with the small bits of e-waste many people may unintentionally hoard, including your old cell phone, headphones, remote controls and computer mouse.

Does vitamin C help with colds? | Live Science

October 18, 2022October 16, 2022 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Does vitamin C help with colds? We know that vitamin C, or ascorbic acid as it’s also known, is necessary for the proper functioning of our immune system. So it makes sense that many of us take to popping this supplement when we feel under the weather, or as a preventative method when the weather gets cooler. But is there any evidence that it actually works?

The theory that vitamin C protects us against seasonal sniffles is relatively new, with Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling popularizing it in the early 70s. At the same time, he did not have any hard evidence to support his claim. In the following decades, many scientists tried to determine the exact effect of vitamin C on common colds, but their findings were mostly disappointing. And what’s more, recent studies have produced mixed results. So the answer to the question ‘does vitamin C help with colds?’ may not be straightforward.

So should you supplement vitamin C? Here, we look into the latest research to help you decide whether it’s worth your buck. However, it is best to consult your doctor before you make any changes to your dietary routine.