Author: knjohn

YouTube Will Completely Remove Videos Of Creators Who Don’t Sign Its Red Subscription Deal | TechCrunch

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

YouTube made its top video creators an offer they literally couldn’t refuse, or they’d have their content disappear. Today YouTube confirmed that any “partner” creator who earns a cut of ad revenue but doesn’t agree to sign its revenue share deal for its new YouTube Red $9.99 ad-free subscription will have their videos hidden from public view on both the ad-supported and ad-free tiers. That includes videos by popular comedians, musicians, game commentators, and DIY instructors, though not the average person that uploads clips.

It’s a tough pill to swallow that makes YouTube look like a bully. Though turning existing fans into paid subscribers instead of free viewers could earn creators more than the ad revenue, forcing them into the deal seems heavy-handed.

Google says the goal is to offer consistency, so people thinking about subscribing to Red don’t have to worry about their favorite content not being available in the ad-free service. But there’s no explanation why it couldn’t just flag videos of those who don’t sign the deal as “Not On Red”, and instead had to go with a sign-or-disappear strategy.

Read More

Forget Raises. Employers Lean on Health Benefits to Retain Workers | Bloomberg Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Wages are still stagnant, yet employers have found something else to help attract and retain employees: health-care benefits. A good insurance plan has become a more vital tool than ever for hiring, according to a recent survey from the Society of Human Resources.

In general, the study found, companies are leaning on benefits to woo current and potential employees. Of the 460 human resources professionals in the survey, 33 percent said that in the last year their organizations used benefits of some kind—ranging from paid leave to wellness programs—to keep employees at all levels from leaving the company. That marks a surge from just 18 percent who relied on benefits to retain staff in 2012.

Read More

Telecoms Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Business | The Startup Magazine

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

downloadThere is no getting away from it – telecommunications are an integral part of any business today, so much so that the internet has now been hailed as the “4th Utility” – because many businesses simply couldn’t function, let alone grow without it. The impending internet takeover, the ‘Internet of Things’ will eventually stretch to every corner of a business; so having the equipment and capacity at the very beginning of your business venture that will allow you to utilize the forth coming platforms and opportunities so that you can effectively reach the next generation of prospects and clients.

In the same way that a robust and future proofed telecoms infrastructure can provide an avenue for the acquisition of new business, a poor infrastructure can act as a barrier. In a monopolised industry that is constantly evolving and is confusing to most, how do we know which provider and services to choose? The team at Microbyte Solutions offer some advice.

Read More

Alabama judge orders defendants to give blood to avoid jail | BBC News

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

An Alabama judge encouraged defendants who could not pay court fines to donate blood rather than spending time in jail, a US civil rights group has said.

“If you do not have any money and you don’t want to go to jail, consider giving blood today,” Judge Marvin Wiggins said in a recording released by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

Some of the 500 defendants gave blood to avoid jail, but their debt remained.

The practice violates the US Constitution, legal experts said.

Judge Wiggins declined to comment on the allegations when contacted by the New York Times.

“Far too often in Alabama, we find that your legal rights are tied to your bank account,” Sara Zampierin, a staff attorney in SPLC’s Montgomery, Alabama, office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Read More

Google employee lives in a truck in the parking lot | Business Insider

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When 23-year-old Brandon S. headed from Massachusetts to the Bay Area in mid-May to start work as a software engineer at Google, he opted out of settling into an overpriced San Francisco apartment. Instead, he moved into a 128-square-foot truck.

The idea started to formulate while Brandon — who asked to withhold his last name and photo to maintain his privacy on campus — was interning at Google last summer and living in the cheapest corporate housing offered: two bedrooms and four people for about $65 a night (roughly $2,000 a month), he told Business Insider.

“I realized I was paying an exorbitant amount of money for the apartment I was staying in — and I was almost never home,” he says. “It’s really hard to justify throwing that kind of money away. You’re essentially burning it — you’re not putting equity in anything and you’re not building it up for a future — and that was really hard for me to reconcile.”

Read More

NASA Says It Will Start Licensing Technology to Startups | Small Biz Trends

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Could NASA be looking for funding to gear up for a trip to Mars?

Public interest in manned missions to Mars has been a fantasy for decades and is slowly becoming a reality.

Riding the wave of enthusiasm, NASA has tentative plans for missions to Mars and the asteroid belt. But with the government’s $18 trillion pile-up of debt, how will it be paid for? Perhaps by licensing the right to use technology developed by NASA to energetic new companies.

David Miller, NASA’s chief technologist, says:

“The Startup NASA initiative leverages the results of our cutting-edge research and development so entrepreneurs can take that research — and some risks — to create new products and new services.”

Read More

The Newest Lexus Is An Origami-Inspired Car Made From Cardboard | Co.Exist

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Using the digital files for an actual Lexus IS sedan, designers sliced up the drawing into tiny pieces and then cut that pattern out of cardboard with lasers.

It took three months to put together, as modelers dealt with problems like the fact that no sheet of cardboard is perfectly straight. “We had to glue one sheet at a time,” says Daniel Ryan from Lasercut Works, one of the companies that helped build the car for Lexus.

The car is an homage to “master craftsmen” at a Lexus factory, who have to prove their skill by folding a tiny origami cat with one hand. (While some work is done by robots, humans still take care of details like stitching on upholstery, and they need to be nimble).

Read More

2 of the Biggest Myths Surrounding Crowdfunding (Video) | Entrepreneur

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

downloadIf the thought of crowdfunding conjures notions of converting untold masses, it might be helpful to envision the process as slightly more personalized.

“The number one myth [about crowdfunding] is the word ‘crowd’ itself,” says Sally Outlaw, CEO of Peerbackers, a consulting firm. “You have to go out there really one-to-one. It comes back down to personal relationships — the success of a campaign.”

For more from Outlaw, including the second-biggest myth surrounding crowdfunding, check out this short video.

See Video

Starting a Business Later in Life? Tips for Older Entrepreneurs | Business News Daily

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When is the best time in life to start a business? There’s no “right” answer to this question, of course — every entrepreneur’s experience is different. But based on the seeming abundance of 20-something Silicon Valley startup founders, it’s easy to think that the younger you are, the better off your business will be.

By that same logic, it’s also easy to assume that entrepreneurs who are approaching retirement age may be too out-of-touch with current technology and culture to succeed in the business world. On the other hand, many founders who started their business after age 50 say their decades of experience have been their greatest advantage.

If you’re an older aspiring business owner, don’t assume you missed your chance at entrepreneurial success. Here’s why it pays to jump into the startup game later, and what you can do to make your business flourish.

Read More