This Tiny Company in Wyoming Spins Over 15,000 Pounds of Wool for Retailers Across the Country | Inc.com

October 10, 2018October 9, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

For Karen Hostetler, wet wool smells like progress.

On washdays at Mountain Meadow Wool the air is warm, steamy, and redolent of barnyard. Employees stand before six-foot-long troughs plunging dirty fleece into soapy water. The sediment of sheep life settles into V-shaped indentations at the bottom. The fragrance is “very sheep-y. Not real awful,” Hostetler says. Not like the time when, needing money, she processed buffalo hide from a slaughterhouse. Then, she says, “it smelled so bad I thought we were going to lose all the workers. We charged them double.”

Facebook, are you kidding? | TechCrunch

October 9, 2018October 8, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Facebook is making a video camera. The company wants you to take it home, gaze into its single roving-yet-unblinking eye and speak private thoughts to your loved ones into its many-eared panel.

The thing is called Portal and it wants to live on your kitchen counter or in your living room or wherever else you’d like friends and family to remotely hang out with you. Portal adjusts to keep its subject in frame as they move around to enable casual at-home video chat. The device minimizes background noise to boost voice clarity. These tricks are neat but not revelatory.

How to Use AI to Boost Your Marketing Efforts | Getentrepreneurial.com

October 8, 2018October 7, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The transformation which artificial intelligence and machine learning have introduced into the tech world is unparalleled. With the innovation of the likes of digital assistants and self-driving cars, what was once considered science fiction has now begun to materialize. For digital marketing, artificial intelligence offers an incredibly variegated assortment of opportunities. Ranging from process automation to consumer behavior analysis, to improved data gathering methods, marketing executives can now breathe more easily, as much of the work they have to do has become a lot more simplified. Here, we will consider ways in which artificial intelligence will help improve your marketing success and reduce your physical exertion.

Wifi Vulnerability Can Put You In Danger | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

October 5, 2018October 4, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Computer scientists at the University of California, Riverside, have discovered a security flaw that affects all Wi-Fi routers. Hackers could exploit the weakness in the transmission control protocol (TCP) and perform a web cache poisoning attack to steal passwords, login information, and other private data. Unfortunately, a fix isn’t possible, as the vulnerability stems from a 20-year-old design based on TCP and Wi-Fi. To prevent hackers from using the exploit, researchers recommend that manufacturers build routers that operate on different frequencies for transmitting and receiving data.

Fortunately, this attack technique won’t work with encrypted sites that use HTTPS and HSTS. Users on Ethernet connections are similarly not affected. Given that the attack won’t work on encrypted sites, most users who browse the internet on a modern browser shouldn’t be affected. Many browsers, including Google’s Chrome, already warn users if they visit an unencrypted site.

No, Drinking Diet Soda Won’t Poison Your Gut Bacteria, But It Could Do Harm | Live Science

October 4, 2018October 3, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your gut is teeming with bacteria. This ecosystem of microbes keeps you healthy — but when it’s thrown off balance, it can lead to a variety of diseases. Now, a new study finds that artificial sweeteners, such as the ones found in diet soda, can damage some of these bacteria.

But there’s one important caveat to keep in mind: The new study was done in the lab, in test tubes — not in people or lab animals. Still, the researchers speculated that the findings could apply to humans; namely, the chemicals in artificial sweeteners could harm the human gut microbiome, according to the study, published Sept. 25, in the journal Molecules.

20 of America’s Oldest Companies | Business News Daily

October 3, 2018October 2, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Some companies seem able to weather any storm, and you will be surprised by the names on this list. The oldest American company has been in existence since 1752, before our county was founded. Despite wars, depressions, recessions and slumps, these companies have managed to maintain a high-quality offering and position themselves in the market to stand the test of time.

Here’s a brief history of 21 American companies that were all started more than 150 years ago and are still thriving today.

20 Cool Jobs for Unconventional People (No Matter How Old You Are) | Life Hack

October 3, 2018October 2, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

At a certain point in my life, I thought I would be a scuba instructor. Bronzed and toned, living care free in the Maldives mingling with fabulous people. It seemed like a perfectly original undertaking that suited me. After all, there I was just finishing my dive master training on the tepid shores of Costa Rica.

Top of the list for cool jobs, right?

But considering a new instructor garners an annual salary of $20,000 USD, there were bolder (and more financially sound) paths to pursue. Yet I was inspired. Inspired by the water, the physical activity, the challenge and learning. That was 15 years ago. I went on to continue to wear numerous hats in a life of unique jobs.

Why Millennials Are Struggling With Mental Health At Work | Forbes

October 2, 2018October 1, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Americans do not take mental health seriously enough. According to the NIMH, as many as 45% of mental health cases go untreated in this country, at a total potential cost of $147 billion per year.

These statistics are devastating and also not widely known — but they’re not terribly controversial. What is controversial — or at least uncomfortable — is the idea that millennials suffer from more mental health issues than any previous generation. This challenges some of the common assertions that millennials are entitled, lazy and lack a work ethic or respect for The Dollar.

Could it be that they’re simply more susceptible to a world in transition?

Looking for Venture Capital? Avoid the 3 Biggest Pitch Deck Mistakes | AllBusiness.com

October 1, 2018September 30, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Most entrepreneurs know they should avoid the obvious mistakes when creating their pitch deck: pitch is too long or not clear, it says there are no competitors, etc. But what a lot of first-time entrepreneurs do not know is what venture capitalists are actually looking for.

In a way, VCs are like clients. You’re trying to sell them on your idea and vision for your company in exchange for their investment. That means you need to understand what they are looking for. Your customers will not buy from you if your product does not solve their problems. And if your business does not meet a VC’s minimum criteria, they will not invest in you. It’s just that simple.

Oh No You Didn’t! 3 Tips for Employee Fraud Prevention | Business.com

September 28, 2018September 27, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As a small business owner, you might be well-versed in fraud prevention. However, many employers fail to realize that fraud can happen anywhere, by anyone – including your own workers.

No matter how close your team might be, or how careful you are when recruiting, you should always be prepared for fraud by employees. Here are three employee fraud prevention tips for employers.