Internet Slander Machine | Peter Mehit

November 9, 2015November 17, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I admit it. I was under a rock. I hadn’t heard about Peeple until I watched John Oliver’s hysterical send up of it on Last Week Tonight. Touted as Yelp for people, the application would have allowed you to create a profile for someone you wanted to rate (without their consent) and then rate them using 1 to 5 stars along with comments. If you posted something negative, the subject had 48 hours to talk you out of posting it. If negotiations didn’t work, the posting went up and you could engage in rebuttal on the site. And all of those comments would stay up forever because you couldn’t delete your account.

What could possibly go wrong in this scenario?

The Washington Post saw the possibilities for abuse and slammed the site as it was coming out in its beta launch to a limited number of opted-in users. Julia Cordray and Nicole McCullough pitched Peeple as a ‘positivity app’ designed to ‘lift up people’. To be fair, they also limited profanity, sexism and discussion of private health conditions. But the fundamental premise, that others have the right to rate you on a public platform without your permission and that you are reduced to a star rating was what the Post found most disturbing.

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Teamwork: How to Build a Successful ‘Spin-Out’ Startup | Business News Daily

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you plan to leave your current employer to start a rival company, you better bring a strong team with you, new research suggests.

The success of a “spin-out” company — a business created by employees who leave one company to form another in the same industry — depends on the founder’s ability to attract a large and experienced team of colleagues, according to a study scheduled for publication in the upcoming edition of the Academy of Management Journal.

Business Friend or Foe? Both, Actually | Business News Daily

November 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Are you my friend, my rival, or both? Maurice Schweitzer and Adam Galinsky, a pair of social psychologists who study behavioral decision-making, posit that in every relationship we are at once cooperating and competing with one another. Schweitzer and Galinsky penned a book on the subject, entitled “Friend or Foe: When to Cooperate, When to Compete, and How to Succeed at Both,” which explores real-world case studies to illustrate the dynamics between rivalry and coordination. Their conclusions about power relations and social comparisons offer valuable insights for entrepreneurs and business professionals. So, Business News Daily caught up with Schweitzer, a professor at the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, to find out what the implications of his research are for the business world.

Obama rejects Keystone XL Pipeline, in huge win for environmentalists | Mashable

November 6, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

After a seven-year review process that gave rise to a grassroots climate activist movement, the Obama administration rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline on Friday, a decision that handed a major victory to environmentalists. Obama announced his determination at a morning news conference in the Roosevelt Room, alongside Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Biden.

“The State Dept has decided the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interests of the U.S.,” Obama said. “I agree with that decision.”

The move comes only weeks ahead of a crucial climate summit in Paris, where diplomats will work to forge a new global warming agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions for all countries starting in 2020. The administration has committed to reducing U.S. carbon emissions by 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025, and is pushing for an ambitious climate agreement to be forged.

During his statement on Keystone, Obama confirmed for the first time that he will be going to Paris to join other world leaders in addressing the summit.

One Map That Shows Why Regulators Are Freaking Out About Drones | Forbes

November 5, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In the wake of several high profile drone accidents and a spike in reported sightings over the past year tracked by the Federal Aviation Administration, the government is cracking down on the unmanned flying objects. By the end of the month new drone registration requirements are expected. The AS-MC01-P multicopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by Aerosense Inc., a joint venture between Sony Mobile Communications Inc. and ZMP Inc. (Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg)

The FAA and the Department of Transportation want drone registration and have called on a handful of interested parties—ranging from drone manufacturers to Amazon and other companies with drone delivery systems in their sights—for recommendations. Thursday marks the final day of a three-day meeting of the new “drone task force,” which has been issued a November 20 deadline to hand in its formal suggestions for policing drones.

Prop F Has Failed. But the Battle for SF’s Soul Will Go On | WIRED

November 5, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

PROPOSITION F HAS failed. The San Francisco ballot measure, which would have more severely restricted Airbnb-style short-term rentals, was defeated last night 55 percent to 45 percent, with about 133,000 votes cast and all precincts reporting. (Citizens in the state of California have the ability to bypass legislature and propose their own laws, which they vote on in these local elections.)

The measure—known casually as the Airbnb initiative—has captured the interest not only of residents living in San Francisco but beyond as a symbol of the tensions in a city grappling with the dramatic effects of the tech boom.

On one side, there are the San Franciscans who maintain that Airbnb and services like it chase long-term renters out of the city by restricting housing supply and sending rents skyrocketing. On the other, you’ll find the residents who say Airbnb helps them make ends meet by letting them make a little more income by renting out their homes. Airbnb reportedly spent north of $8 million on the measure, versus $1 million spent by Prop F supporters.

Weekly Economic Update | LAEDC

November 5, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

v.19 n. 45 – Released November 4, 2015

This Week’s Headlines:

SoCal Home Sales and Median Prices in September
Modest Third Quarter GDP Growth
Events of Interest
- November 12: LAEDC 20th Annual Eddy Awards
- November 13: Cal State LA’s 22nd Annual Policy Conference on the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

Does Microwaving Vegetables Destroy Their Nutrients? | Live Science

November 4, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Nuke away! Microwaving vegetables isn’t any worse for your veggies than other types of cooking. And, in some cases, it may be better.

Some natural-food enthusiasts have argued that microwaves “kill” food, breaking down its natural antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that theoretically protect against cell-damaging free radicals in the body, and they abound in fresh fruits, vegetables , grains and nuts, according to the American Dietetic Association.

Business Insurance Basics: 14 Key Terms You Need to Know | All Business

November 4, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Many industries have their own lexicon. Doctors, architects, dentists, and writers—to name a few—all have certain distinctive words that are used almost exclusively within the field to convey specialized meanings.

The insurance also has its own vocabulary. However, unlike other fields that have a tendency to remain insular, most people, especially business owners, will at some point come to have firsthand experience with these terms.

You might be familiar with some of these insurance terms, especially if you’ve ever purchased auto insurance or homeowner’s/renter’s insurance. Keep in mind that personal insurance has far less variety than business insurance. Due to its very nature, business insurance offers an extensive assortment of options.