Author: knjohn

EPA allows California to ban sales of new gas cars by 2035 | Fast Company

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday granted two requests from California to enforce strict standards for vehicle emissions, including a rule aimed at banning sales of new gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035. The incoming Trump administration is likely to try to reverse the action.

The California rule is stricter than a federal rule adopted this year that tightens emissions standards but does not require sales of electric vehicles.

EPA said its review found that opponents of the two waivers did not meet their legal burden to show how either the EV rule or a separate measure on heavy-duty vehicles was inconsistent with the federal Clean Air Act.

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Congo accuses Apple of using conflict minerals | Fast Company

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The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech firm of using conflict minerals in its supply chain, lawyers for the Congolese government told Reuters.

Congo is a major source of tin, tantalum and tungsten, so-called 3T minerals used in computers and mobile phones. But some artisanal mines are run by armed groups involved in massacres of civilians, mass rapes, looting and other crimes, according to U.N. experts and human rights groups.

Apple does not directly source primary minerals and says it audits suppliers, publishes findings and funds bodies that seek to improve mineral traceability.

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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Odometer Tampering Scheme Involving Over 140 Vehicles | Small Business Trends

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Drew Mitchell Schreiber, a resident of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of odometer tampering. The charges stem from his role in a scheme that involved rolling back the odometers of more than 140 high-mileage vehicles and selling them to unsuspecting buyers across the United States.

The plea was entered in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Schreiber owned Central Florida Automotive Group, now operating as Southeastern Credit Union Solutions, in Winter Garden, Florida. According to court documents, he purchased high-mileage used vehicles from wholesale auto auctions across Florida and manipulated their odometers, rolling them back by as much as 428,000 miles.

Fraudulent Sales Across the U.S.

After altering the odometers, Schreiber resold the vehicles through auto auctions or online direct sales, targeting used-car dealers who then unknowingly sold the vehicles to individual buyers. These fraudulent transactions enriched Schreiber with significant profits. Many of the vehicles involved in the scheme were over 10 years old, enabling Schreiber to obtain “exempt” titles that did not require mileage disclosure, further concealing the fraudulent activity.

Source: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Odometer Tampering Scheme Involving Over 140 Vehicles – Small Business Trends

What Grubhub’s 2024 Delivered Trends Mean for Small Restaurant Owners | Small Business Trends

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Grubhub’s 2024 Delivered Trends Report highlights the growing demand for unique, bold, and over-the-top delivery experiences. For small restaurant owners, the report offers valuable insights into consumer preferences and strategies to capitalize on these emerging trends. Here’s what the findings mean for your business and how you can adapt to thrive.

Protein Dominance: Chicken Leads the Pack

With chicken accounting for nearly 40% of Grubhub restaurant orders, the demand for protein-packed meals is undeniable. Small restaurant owners should:

  • Feature customizable protein options on your menu, like double protein or unique protein pairings, to attract health-conscious and meal-prepping customers.
  • Highlight popular trends like cottage cheese-based dishes, which are experiencing a renaissance. If your kitchen has the capability, experiment with incorporating high-protein options like cottage cheese toast or flatbreads.

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Cyber Security Risks That Threaten Businesses | Business

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If your business depends on computer systems to operate, you need to understand the cyber risks you face and how they can impact your company. A cyberattack could leave you financially responsible for consumer losses and significantly impair your business operations for days or even weeks. In this article, we explain the different types of cyber risks and what you can do to reduce them.

What is cyber risk?

Cyber risk is the threat of data loss, property destruction or ransom demands resulting from a hack of your company’s IT systems. Cyberattacks can result in a financial loss or disruption to your business. They can also harm your brand’s reputation if consumers don’t feel their information is secure with your organization.

Cyber risks can lead to computer system failure and the unauthorized use of information. If an unauthorized person gains access to your computer system and databases, they can halt your operations or steal your information unless you pay a ransom. This is why you need to have the right cybersecurity.

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How Telematics Systems Improve Business Fleets | Business

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Telematics technology is becoming a staple among businesses that use fleets of vehicles and heavy machinery. Telematics is more than just GPS tracking; it’s tech that offers you a gold mine of data. You can use that data to improve your bottom line and run your business and worksite more efficiently. The best telematics systems keep track of dozens of aspects and components, allowing you to build an improvement plan for your worksite.

The combination of GPS, monitoring systems and a data-gathering interface make up modern telematics systems. This allows you to keep track of individual vehicles when they’re out in the field. Not only is it smart to know where your vehicles are at all times, but you’ll also have a complete history of the fleet’s journey. Diagnostics allow you to monitor the status of machinery, whether or not it’s on-site.

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Bid farewell to this small but helpful Windows 11 feature | Digital Trends

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As Microsoft mentions in a December 12 blog post, Windows 11 users will soon no longer receive future updates for the suggested actions menu. The helpful feature would offer you related actions when you copy items like dates or phone numbers with actions to create an event or make a call.

Microsoft first introduced the feature in a Windows 11 2022 update. It made the suggested actions menu appear and gave contextual information based on the copied data. Microsoft describes the feature as follows: “Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are deprecated and will be removed in a future Windows 11 update.”

The feature’s end of support may be due to the decrease in usage and the upcoming release of the Click To Do features, which offer similar usability. However, it’s important to remember that Click To Do is only for Copilot+ PCs, so those with an older Windows 11 computer are left out of the cool kids’ club.

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Windows 11 may finally take iPhone collaboration to the next level | Digital Trends

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Microsoft is now establishing file-sharing support between iPhones and its Windows 11 or Windows 10 PCs. Users will be able to connect the devices with the brand’s Phone Link app and Link to Windows app to enable the function. Currently, the feature is available to Windows Insiders users for testing purposes.

Microsoft has not shared other details about the iPhone to Windows file-sharing feature, just installation instructions. To use this function, you must install the previously released Phone Link for iOS app. Microsoft made the Phone Link for iOS app available last spring enabling iPhone users to receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, view notifications, and access contacts directly on Windows PCs.

Your device will prompt you to install Phone Link for iOS if it’s not already installed on your desktop. If Phone Link for iOS is already enabled on your device, you can proceed with file-sharing setup by adding the following file to your PC aka.ms/addAccount.

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Why AI Should Be a Core Part of Your Recruitment Strategy | The Startup Magazine

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The recruitment landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology seems to be taking the helm. Savvy companies are quickly turning to AI solutions in order to streamline their recruitment process, reduce bias, and significantly increase efficiency. If your organization is yet to integrate AI into its recruitment strategy, you might want to reconsider your stance.

Building a Competitive Edge

In an era where technology is revolutionizing many industries, recruitment is no exception. As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, leveraging technology to build your CV with AI can be extremely beneficial. With the ability to quickly analyze heaps of data, AI can help recruiters to identify the best potential candidates for specific roles.

However, AI’s capabilities go beyond just analyzing resumes. It aids in engaging promising candidates and providing insights to fine-tune recruitment strategies. Companies that have integrated AI into their process can afford to make more strategic decisions rather than work based on guesswork.

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Why Your Business Needs the Correct Insurance | The Startup Magazine

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Businesses are all about profit, but they are also all about risk. Employees can be injured on the job, customers can be injured in a store, a natural disaster could floor your business, road accidents can plague trucks on the road – risks are a natural consequence of running a business. For these reasons, and others, you need to ensure that you are protecting your business and all of its assets.

Insurance is the way to do it, and there’s not just one type of insurance your business needs to invest in. From public liability insurance providers to leading fleet insurance providers, there are insurance products that you need to pay attention to to avoid legal issues. You have to ensure that your business insurance is listed in your business plan if you want to stay ahead of the game. Are you still on the fence about insurance coverage? Below, you’ll find every reason you need to invest in good business coverage:

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