L’Oréal’s new electronic wearable tracks UV exposure, without batteries | New Atlas

November 22, 2018November 21, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

While we all appreciate the importance of limiting our exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, actually keeping track of the amount can be difficult. L’Oréal’s new My Skin Track UV is designed to help. It’s described as “the first battery-free wearable electronic to measure UV exposure.”

Developed by L’Oréal’s skincare brand La Roche-Posay (in collaboration with Northwest University materials scientist Prof. John Rogers), the waterproof device measures 12 by 6 mm, and is affixed to the user’s clothing via an integrated wire clip. A prototype version of the product was unveiled at this year’s CES show, under the name UV Sense.

Teen girl in South Sudan auctioned off for marriage on Facebook | Mashable

November 21, 2018November 20, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A 16-year-old South Sudanese girl was sold for marriage via Facebook in a disturbing case that’s been described as “reminiscent of latter-day slave markets.”

The winning bid in the auction was for 500 cows, three cars and $10,000, and the girl was married off at a ceremony on Nov. 3 in the country’s Eastern Lakes State, according to Plan International, a humanitarian organisation focused on children’s rights.

Bitcoin keeps plunging — when will it hit bottom? | CNN

November 21, 2018November 20, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The recent plunge in the stock market is a cakewalk compared to what’s going on with cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin prices are down more than 15% in just the past week and have plummeted nearly 70% so far this year.

Bitcoin hit a peak above $19,000 in December 2017. Its is now trading at around $4,600.

Shares of companies with ties to the crypto market have plunged lately too, including chipmakers Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD), which make graphics cards used by bitcoin miners. Online retailer turned blockchain investor Overstock (OSTK) and digital payments firm Square (SQ) are also sharply lower. Each stock is down between 15% and 35% in just the past month.

So it seems safe to say that the bitcoin bubble has burst. Should investors start to dip their toe back in to bitcoin and other crypyto-related assets?

David’s Bridal files for bankruptcy | CNN

November 20, 2018November 19, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

David’s Bridal has been buried under a mountain of debt. It hasn’t helped that fewer people are tying the knot lately.

The nation’s largest bridal retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday. It owes between $500 million and $1 billion to creditors, according to court records.

As part of the bankruptcy, David’s Bridal reached a deal with lenders to reduce the company’s debt by more than $400 million. The agreement will allow David’s Bridal to continue to operate its more than 300 stores.

I Took 9 Different Commercial DNA Tests and Got 6 Different Results | Live Science

November 20, 2018November 19, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The thing about me is that I’m Jewish. It’s not the only thing about me. I’m also 5 feet 11 inches tall, a glasses wearer and into bicycling. But most people who know me probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that most of my ancestors lived in shtetls in Eastern Europe.

So, it wasn’t too surprising when I sent off nine DNA samples to three different DNA companies under a variety of fake names, and the results indicated that I’m super-duper Ashkenazi Jewish. (Ashkenazim are Jews who trace their ancestry back to Yiddish-speaking populations inhabiting the region between France and Russia.)

Here’s what was a bit surprising, though: None of the companies — AncestryDNA, 23andMe and National Geographic, which works with a testing company called Helix — could agree on just how Ashkenazi I am. [How Do DNA Ancestry Tests Really Work?]

The Importance of a CIO in Business | Business News Daily

November 19, 2018November 18, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As technology has evolved throughout the years, so have the roles and responsibilities of chief information officers. Today, CIOs lead organizations’ IT staffs and assets and also develop strategies and computer systems.

“[The] CIO role is essential for the business, because we cannot build a product without using technology,” said Michal Abram, head of engineering at Zety. “[A] CIO must be able to link the world of technology with product development, make crucial business decisions based on unique knowledge and experience.”

How to Improve Your Computer Skills to Get Ahead in Your Career | Life Hack

November 19, 2018November 18, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Technology has taken the business world by storm. People and businesses are progressively reliant on technology world these days. As a result, the people with impressive knowledge and experience with a computer are in demand.

Considering this growing market trend, if you too wish to bag a profitable job, this article is apt for you. Here, we will dig deeper into the business and technology world to look into what are the best computer skills one should invest in and what resources to get help from.

So, are you ready? Here we begin.

The $400,000 GoFundMe for a homeless man was a scam | Fast Company

November 16, 2018November 15, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Let’s rewind to October 2017. Kate McClure, a New Jersey woman, ran out of gas on an interstate ramp outside of Philadelphia. Johnny Bobbitt, a homeless man, was allegedly panhandling nearby, and used his last $20 to buy McClure enough gas to get home. In return, McClure and her boyfriend, Mike D’Amico, took to GoFundMe, asking givers to help them raise $10,000 toward rent, a car, and a few months of basic living expenses for Bobbitt. The fundraiser went viral. In all, over 14,000 donors eventually contributed to the goal-shattering total of $402,000.

Exercise Can’t Save Us: Our Sugar Intake Is The Real Culprit, Say Experts | Forbes

November 16, 2018November 15, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In a fascinating and scorching editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, three authors argue that the myth that exercise is the key to weight loss – and to health – is erroneous and pervasive, and that it must end. The evidence that diet matters more than exercise is now overwhelming, they write, and has got to be heeded: We can exercise to the moon and back but still be fat for all the sugar and carbs we consume. And perhaps even more jarring is that we can be a normal weight and exercise, and still be unhealthy if we’re eating poorly. So, they say, we need a basic reboot of our understanding of health, which has to involve the food industry’s powerful PR “machinery,” since that was part of the problem to begin with.

Gratitude Should Be a Year-Long Habit for Your Business | AllBusiness.com

November 15, 2018November 14, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small business owners have plenty of reasons to be thankful. And the Thanksgiving season is a great opportunity to express gratitude to the people who help your business succeed and improve and enrich your daily work life.

That said, it’s important to make thankfulness a genuine, continual (even daily!) habit. As you decide how best to communicate your gratitude over the coming year, consider the many individuals who contribute to your success.