POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE WILL NOT dissolve in acetone or ether or concentrated sulfuric acid. When Roy Plunkett first found it coating some storage canisters in 1938, he tried to destroy the substance with just about every technique known to science. A young employee at DuPont, Plunkett had been hired to develop a new refrigerant. But when he cooled and compressed a gas he was testing, a waxy white powder unexpectedly formed—that stuff he couldn’t eradicate. The material was brought to the attention of US Army general Leslie Groves, director of the Manhattan Project, who commissioned DuPont to design a plant that used polytetrafluoroethylene seals and gaskets.
Author: knjohn
Why Your Health Is the Key to Your Success in Business | Entrepreneur
Be honest: Are you working at your absolute peak? Just look at The Rock. Sure he’s charismatic and a strong actor, but how does he fly across the world to record back-to-back films with barely a moment to rest? It’s because he’s in incredible shape. The Rock gets the most out of his acting chops because he obsesses over his health.
That same idea applies to you as an entrepreneur. Treat your body well — eat right, challenge your body, get proper sleep — and you’ll reward yourself with more energy, greater focus, and a heightened level of discipline. You’ll achieve new levels of productivity while your competition falls behind and watches you scale faster and faster.
How To Quash Your Fears Of Pitching | Getentrepreneurial.com
To say that we are in the start-up culture era would be a gross understatement. Start-ups are popping up left, right and centre – and the entrepreneurs behind such companies are reaping in the rewards.
While there are all sorts of characteristics that define leaders, we would hedge a bet that something all of the founders of said companies have in common is that they can pitch. To obtain that elusive initial funding, or funding to take your business to the next level for that matter, pitching is a crucial part of being a modern-day business leader.
This startup uses shoplifters to get their message through | CoolBusinessIdeas.com
This startup uses shoplifters to get their message through
By connecting digital billboards to store alarm systems, shoplifters got unexpected real life push notifications, reminding them not to forget to pay. Klarna, the Swedish payment provider behind the initiative found an unorthodox way to help people who often miss their payments.
L’Oréal’s new electronic wearable tracks UV exposure, without batteries | New Atlas
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
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
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
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
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
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.”
Dispatches From The Front 