Dos and don’ts for watching today’s eclipse | USA Today

October 23, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

WHEN TO WATCH

New York City: The eclipse starts at 5:49 p.m. ET. The eclipse will still be going on as the sun sets at 6:03 p.m. ET.

Washington: The eclipse starts at 5:52 p.m. ET. The eclipse will still be going on as the sun sets at 6:17 p.m. ET.

Chicago: The eclipse starts at 4:36 p.m. CT. The eclipse will be at its maximum at 5:43 p.m. CT and the sun will set while still in eclipse.

Denver: The eclipse starts at 3:18 p.m. MT. The eclipse will be at its maximum at 4:35 p.m. MT and will end at 5:44 p.m. MDT.

Los Angeles: The eclipse will start at 2:08 p.m. PT. The eclipse will be at its maximum at 3:28 p.m. and will end at 4:40 p.m. PT.

The Tech Behind Apple Pay: Is Your Money Secure? | Live Science

October 22, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Go ahead and forget your wallet. Apple’s new mobile payment system, Apple Pay, launches today Oct. 20, and while some have questioned whether the technology is safe, security experts say it may actually be safer than swiping your credit or debit card.

Apple Pay lets iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users make purchases in stores with their smartphones, using near-field communication NFC technology. A tiny antennain the phone transmits encrypted credit card data without consumers having to swipe their card.

NFC technology isn’t new; it’s used to make mobile payments from Android phones with apps like Google Wallet and Softcard. But Apple’s mobile wallet might be more secure than those other options, according to Martin Ferenczi, the North American president of Oberthur Technologies, a French electronics security company.

How to Watch the Partial Solar Eclipse on Thursday | Mashable

October 22, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Millions of people across North America could have a chance to observe a partial solar eclipse next week, weather permitting. Although the Oct. 23 partial solar eclipse may not be as spectacular as a total eclipse, it is still a beautiful and interesting event to witness. The sight of the moon gradually moving across the face of the sun fills most people with awe.

The best views of the eclipse will be in the north, in Alaska and the Canadian arctic, but everyone in North America should see some of it, except in the extreme northeast of the continent. In eastern North America, the eclipse will only be visible near or at sunset, so a low western horizon is essential. Venus is very close to the eclipsed sun, but you will probably need to block the sun from view to spot it.

The Wild and Crazy Career Paths of 5 Self-Made Billionaires Infographic | Entrepreneur

October 21, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Virgin Empire founder Richard Branson’s first job was selling Christmas trees. NBA Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s first job was selling garbage bags. Las Vegas Sands Corporation CEO Sheldon Adelson’s first job was selling newspapers. Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky’s first job was selling carpets. And Elon Musk, the founder of Telsa Motors and PayPal, started his working life writing video games.

From their humble beginnings, all of these self-made billionaires have changed course scores of times. The infographic below, generated by San Francisco-based startup organization Funders and Founders, shows just how many different businesses these legendary entrepreneurs launched.

Funders and Founders also analyzed all 1,426 billionaires in the world. From there, the company segmented out the 960 that are self made and determined that 830 of them earned their wealth from more than one business.

See enlarged Infograhic

4 Common Reasons Why Small Business Startups Face a High Risk of Failure | Getentrepreneurial.com

October 21, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

“My business is in trouble with debt spiraling out of control and I simply don’t have enough cash to make payments on time. I’ve read that most small business startups have problems similar to mine, but why?”

This concern is common amongst the directors, managers, and owners of small business startups in the UK, and for good reason – about 2/3 of startups fail within their first 3 years of operation. Usually the failure is brought about by a number of factors that work together synergistically to make business progression difficult. Here are the 4 most common reasons why small business startups don’t do well:

1. Inadequate PreparationStarting a successful startup is all about planning – analysing your market conditions and competition. Some of the things you’ll need to know and have planned for:

Who is going to buy your product/service
How many companies are providing similar offerings
Why your company’s offerings will be more appealing
How much your competition is charging
What it will cost to get the business of the ground and start an advertising campaign
How much the business will need to spend to operate on an ongoing basis

e-Edge Newsletter | LAEDC

October 21, 2014October 21, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

v.18 n. 41 – Released October 20, 2014

This Week’s Headlines:

September State and Local Employment Report
Retail Sales Turn Down in September
Events of Interest
- October 30, 2014: 26th Annual Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference
- November 13, 2014: 19th Annual Eddy Awards Gala

Generation X as a Target Customer | Lydia Mehit

October 20, 2014January 22, 2015 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Many business owners think that EVERYONE is their customer, so they create a coupon, find a monthly delivery system (a coupon magazine or coupon mailer) and hope for the best. But understanding your target customer can give you insights into how to price, how to promote, how to utilize media and what special offers will appeal to them.

Is Generation X the most likely group of people to purchase your goods and services?

How would you know? Start with your current customers. What is the average age of the majority of your customers? Who typically makes the largest purchase during an average visit? Who are return customers?

If you are not in business yet, look at the neighborhoods where you are thinking of locating your business. What is the average age and income of the people in the immediate one mile radius? Check out the three mile radius also. If you have a retail business, the majority of your customers will be local to those areas.

Continue reading “Generation X as a Target Customer | Lydia Mehit” →

3 Attention-Worthy Ideas for Your Next Press Release and Why they Work so Well | Marketing Words Blog

October 20, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Practically everybody has dreams of earning a bit of media coverage and being flooded with business. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. The main reason most press releases fail is because they are self-promotional. Promotional copy is the cardinal sin of press releases. Reporters want news, not advertisements, so before you begin to write, pick up an industry journal or two, read through a couple of newspaper articles that pertain to your occupation and take some notes.

1. No First or Second Person – Notice how all the news is written in third person they, she, them, etc.? You won’t find “we” or “us” or “you” unless they are included in quotes from various people.

Bright Ideas | Cassandradaily.com

October 20, 2014 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As Jeff Goldblum notes in the recent viral ad for GE’s Link light bulb system, there are great benefits to exceptional lighting. The message isn’t lost on young consumers who are turning a designer’s eye on their homes, mindful that seemingly minor details like lighting can make or break the vibe. Consequently, they’re seeking new bulb options that go beyond the usual “on” and “off” settings.

Emberlight: The emberlight adapter, which screws into a standard socket, upgrades the average light bulb into a smart light bulb. The device allows owners to raise and dim a room’s light level from a smartphone app and also includes mood presets so users can always achieve the atmosphere they desire, from disco party to date night. Moreover, emberlight includes security features, such as remote access and a proximity sensor that turns lights on when it detects the owner’s smartphone. The energy-saving device also lets people track how their lights are being used so they can improve their energy efficiency.