Unsending messages is for cowards. It shouldn’t exist and you shouldn’t do it. | Mashable

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

We’re watching the slow, pitiful death of an art form right in front of us, and, of course, no one cares.

The art form in question? A classic “sorry, wrong person” text message. Gone are the days of “accidentally” messaging an ex to sneak back into their psyche. We’ve heard the final story of someone mistakenly sexting their parents when they meant to sext their lover. The world is empty of the drama produced by a shit-talk text accidentally sent to the person being shat on.

An unintended text faces no consequences anymore. You can unsend your messages on just about every platform now. Where is the serendipity in that? Where is the whimsy? Where is the joy???

Read More

Major shakeup at Disney: Board chair is out. New CEO is coming soon | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Disney is about to have its fourth board chair in just over three years, as the company continues to navigate ongoing tumult in the media industry.

Chairman Mark Parker will step down at the end of the year, the company announced Monday. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman will replace Parker starting in 2025.

“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as Disney’s chairman at this important moment in the company’s history,” Gorman said in a statement.

Read More

Walmart’s new threat to CVS: 30-minute prescription deliveries | CNN Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Walmart, already partially responsible for the slow demise of America’s drug stores, is launching yet another CVS killer: 30-minute prescription delivery.

Walmart’s pitch to costumers is simple – fill your prescription, plus get some groceries delivered to your door, all in one order. Prescription delivery was the number one most-requested service by its customers, the company said in a press release.

“If you’re sick, we can deliver the necessary medicine along with everything else you need to feel better,” said Tom Ward, executive vice president and chief eCommerce officer of Walmart U.S. in a statement on Tuesday.

Read More

The Milky Way could be part of a much larger ‘cosmic neighborhood’ than we realized, challenging our understanding of the universe | Live Science

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The region of the universe we live in may be significantly bigger than we thought. A new study reveals that the intergalactic supercluster holding the Milky Way may be part of an even bigger “basin of attraction” that’s up to 10 times larger than the one we currently call home.

The universe is full of basins of attraction (BOAs) — regions within which everything is being pulled inward by the gravity of a massive object. BOAs can stack inside one another like nesting dolls. For example, the moon circles Earth, which in turn orbits the sun along with the rest of the solar system, which is itself spiraling around the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy.

Read More

Why does dairy make antibiotics less effective? | Live Science

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You may have heard that some foods and drinks, such as grapefruit and alcohol, shouldn’t be consumed with certain medications. But did you know that dairy products can make some drugs less effective?

This effect is particularly problematic for certain classes of antibiotics, which are drugs used to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics taken by mouth — in a pill or liquid form, for example — need to be absorbed into the bloodstream to work effectively. But when taken with dairy products, such as milk, cheese or yogurt, some antibiotics are not absorbed as they should be.

For instance, one study found that the absorption of an antibiotic called demeclocycline (brand name Declomycin) into the bloodstream dropped by a staggering 83% when taken with milk, compared with water and a dairy-free meal. Demeclocycline is used to treat bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, like pneumonia. Another study showed that when ciprofloxacin is taken with milk, levels of the drug in the bloodstream are about 30% to 36% lower than when it is taken with water. This antibiotic is used to treat a range of illnesses, from pneumonia to gonorrhea.

Read More

Best and Worst Time of Year to Look for a Job | Business News Daily

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Job hunting sometimes seems like a never-ending process. While you may not have control over the time of year you need to find a job, certain seasons are better than others when it comes to getting hired. Whether you’re fresh out of college and searching for your first gig or trying to transition into a more senior role, here are the best and worst times to look for a job.

Best times to look for a job

Every industry and position is different, so there isn’t a universal hiring season. However, many experts agree that the beginning of the year is a great time to look for a new position for a range of reasons.

“During the transition into the new year and into early February, this is when teams are getting new momentum [and] adding on new members to accomplish their goals when a business is growing,” said Valerie Streif, marketing manager at GetMyBoat and former content manager at mock interview platform Pramp.

Read More

When Community Banks Die: How Small Businesses Are Affected | Business News Daily

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When it comes to financing, community banks have been providing support to small businesses for decades. However, a problem is emerging that’s affecting small business: Community banks are closing and consolidating due to pressure from regulation and an uneven lending playing field. Here’s what to know about how the decline in community banking might affect your small business.

What is community banking?

A community bank is an institution that caters to a smaller, local audience rather than the large national audience of larger banks. These banks typically develop close relationships with their customers, and this personal connection is often a selling point for community banking.

Notably, there’s no one accepted size that defines the term “community banking.” In general, though, a community bank has just a few branches, all of which are located in the same city.

Read More

‘Diablo wind’ to descend on California, elevating wildfire risk | Fast Company

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A major “diablo wind”—notorious in autumn for its hot, dry gusts—is expected to whip up across Northern California on Thursday evening, causing humidity levels to drop and raising the risk of wildfires.

Forecasters have issued red flag warnings for fire danger until Saturday from the central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area and into northern Shasta County, not far from the Oregon border.

Sustained winds reaching 35 mph (56 kph) are expected in many areas, with possible gusts topping 65 mph (104 kph) along mountaintops, according to the National Weather Service.

Read More

Midwest Chicken Farmers Struggle to Feed Flocks after Supplier Shuts Down | Fast Company

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS 2 MINUTE READ Dozens of farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin are scrambling to feed their flocks after a struggling organic broiler chicken producer abruptly closed a year after getting a $39 million federal loan.

Pure Prairie Poultry shuttered its Charles City, Iowa, plant after filing for bankruptcy last month. The Minnesota company provided farmers with chicks and feed to raise until the birds were ready to be slaughtered and prepared for sale at the northeastern Iowa processing center.

“We know that our difficulties are causing real hardship for our growers and for others,” Pure Prairie spokesperson Jon Austin said in an email. “And for that we apologize without reservation.”

Read More

Creating a Go-To-Market Plan for a New Product: A Hands-On Guide | All Business

~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Achieving product-market fit (PMF) is the holy grail for any business. As founders, we often start our journey with a brilliant idea and the illusion that we already know our target audience. Once we get our first customer, we are naturally inclined to believe that we have found our PMF. Yet, this might be a dangerous mistake.

In a world where more than half of startups close before five years, poor product-market fit is a top reason why a company goes out of business. And even if you don’t fail right away, you might still be one of the 72% of startups facing product-market-related issues, which includes no market need or mistiming that cripple your growth. The median time from idea to PMF is about two years, however. So it’s never too late to change your go-to-market plan and find your market fit.

Read More