New laws force police to put guns back on the street | CNN Money

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Every year, police officers seize tens of thousands of rifles, shotguns, machine guns and other firearms from criminals across the country. While many agencies destroy these weapons, a growing number of police departments are selling them instead. And it’s not always by choice.

Since 2009, at least 11 states have passed laws that either encourage or require police departments to sell seized or recovered guns — with some banning police from destroying guns altogether, according to an exclusive CNNMoney analysis of state laws.

Read More

Toys R Us is closing its flagship store | Business Insider

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Toys R Us is closing its iconic flagship store in New York City’s Times Square at the end of this month.

The retailer is not renewing its lease on the 110,000-square-foot store, which features a giant indoor Ferris wheel, a life-size Barbie dollhouse, and a 20-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur, CNN Money reports.

“It is certainly bittersweet,” Toys “R” Us CEO Dave Brandon told CNN Money, referring to the rush of shoppers in the store for the final Black Friday at the Times Square location.

We reached out to Toys “R” Us and will update when we hear back.

Read More

Areas of the Law that Every Start Up Should Be Aware Of | The Startup Magazine

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

downloadYou have an innovative, perhaps even ground-breaking idea. Maybe you are also lucky enough to have a co-founder or have secured substantial investment and are about to go ahead with the start-up dream….but STOP. Do you know the legal implications or requirements that you should be taking heed of? Unbelievably, many young businesses move forward founding a business without consulting a solicitor. Simple mistakes that were made in the early days can become the very reason that yours business fails; Peterborough based law firm Taylor Rose offer to cast some light on the shadowy areas of the law that you should be aware of!

Read More

Children’s Photos Among Data Stolen in Hack of Toy Maker VTech | Entrepreneur

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s a parent’s worst nightmare: Photos of their kids’ smiling faces stolen by a stranger online, along with identifying information including their names, genders, birth dates, mailing addresses and the contents of their private chats.

Thanks to a security breach at toy maker VTech, that nightmare just became a reality for thousands of parents.Yesterday, the children’s toymaker admitted that it’s on the hook for exposing all of the above private data, plus additional personal information.

Read More

The Science Of Why Scarcity Makes Us More Creative | Co.Exist 

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The rise of mass consumption has driven worldwide economic growth for decades. But does it help our creative growth?

According to a new study, the answer is no. When we stop buying new things, we look at what we already have in new ways and come up with new uses for products we own. In other words, scarcity drives creativity. When we aren’t surrounded with ready-made solutions to problems, we have no trouble coming up with our own.

This finding may surprise precisely nobody working in any artistic field. This make-do-and-mend mentality is the way our grandparents—and in some cases parents—approached the world, ranging from jam-jars used as drinking glasses to cigar-box guitars.

Read More

E-tailers: Minimize the Impact of DIM Charges over the Holidays | Get Entrepreneurial

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

By now, you are probably aware of the dimensional weight charges implemented by big shipping carriers UPS and FedEx back in January. Under these changes, packages less than 3 cubic feet are subjected to dimensional weight pricing, also referred to as DIM pricing and DIM charges. DIM pricing calculates shipping costs based on a package’s volume— or how much space it occupies— in relation to its weight.

DIM charges, which have been applied to air shipments and larger ground parcels for a while, are now being applied to smaller ground parcels due to the increase in e-commerce sales. The continued popularity of online shopping has led to a steady increase in the volume of packages handled by carriers like UPS and FedEx, resulting in higher operating costs for these carriers. According to Alan Gershenhorn, UPS executive vice president and chief commercial officer, dimensional weight pricing “enables us [UPS] to more appropriately align rates with costs which are influenced by both the size and weight of packages.”

Read More

5 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Selecting A Location (part 2 of 2)| Lydia Mehit

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

downloadA third mistake entrepreneurs make is falling in love with a particular location.  “That historic Victorian is great.  It will be the perfect frame for my antique clothing business.”

Looking at the space itself, what will it take to make the improvements you would need?  Does the building need repairs?  Is it up to code?  Is the existing lighting, heating and cooling sufficient or will you need electrical or plumbing work?  Is the ventilation adequate for your needs?  How much will it cost to ready the location for your business?

Money spent to prepare the property is money you won’t have to run your business.  Set a budget for yourself, before you start looking, and stick with it.  If the estimated improvements to the property exceed your budget, keep looking.

Continue reading “5 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Selecting A Location (part 2 of 2)| Lydia Mehit” →

Reports of people dressed as clowns raise concerns in Waukesha | Jsonline

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

CaptureReports of people dressed as clowns in Waukesha near Carroll University in recent weeks have left some uneasy.

Earlier this month, police got a report of person dressed as a clown in the area of E. Main St. and N. Hartwell Ave., which is near Carroll University. Officials confirmed the person was a 15-year-old boy who is developmentally delayed.

Waukesha Police Sgt. Jerry Habanek said the teen likes to watch the reactions people have when he’s dressed as a clown. Police have been in communication with the teen and his family.

Read More