Business

Bankruptcy has held a significant, and certainly unfortunate, place in the American economy in recent years. It has affected private homes and large companies alike. And it doesn't seem to be lessening up any time soon. Atlantic City's Revel casino and resort recently filed for its second bankruptcy since its opening in 2012. The casino is staying open and for the time being and appears to have confidence that a court-supervised auctioning of its assets will allow it to remain open. But its future didn't look so bright a few days ago when over 3,000 employees were warned that the casino could permanently shut down as early as August if a viable solution was not found. For these thousands of hotel employees, and hundreds others employed at food and drink companies with whom the casino ha...

A Colorado company claims to have produced the first drinkable sunscreen. The drinkable concoction is reportedly just as strong as SPF 30 sunscreen lotion. "Molecules of the product vibrate on the skin to cancel out 97 per cent of UVA and UVB rays," The Telegraph explains. The product, which is available in tanning and non-tanning varieties, has yet to be sanctioned by dermatologists and/or healthcare professionals. "The development of drinkable SPF comes at a time when standard suncreams are being questioned about the level of protection they provide by consumer watchdogs," The Telegraph continues. As of it stands, there is no scientific fact to support claims about this particular product. Dermatologists advise exercising extreme caution when using drinkable sun protection. Profession...

New York's attorney general is continuing to publicly voice his support for a bill that would regulate the use of A.T.M.-style payroll cards throughout the state, which many employers use for paying employees. According to the New York Times, Eric. T. Schneiderman, the state's top prosecutor, is supporting the legislation because he believes payroll cards' fees significantly cut into the paychecks of low-wage workers who have no other way of collecting their wages. The proposed legislature will require employers to offer alternative payment options and measures for consumer protection. “Workers should not have to pay in order to get their pay," Attorney General Schneiderman said, according to LongIsland.com. “While payroll cards can be helpful for employees without bank accounts, pro...

Twitter and Pandora are the two newest sites to introduce video advertising capabilities as a way to attract advertisers. According to a May 28 Business2Community article, each site has more than 250 million users around the world, and each site is hoping to draw in advertisers that hope to reach these users with video ads. So far, Twitter, on which 700 videos are shared each minute, has just experimented with the concept of video advertising. When a user types in a hashtag, a pop-up will appear that allows the user to embed a video in his or her tweet. Since tweets featuring video are 38% more likely to be re-tweeted than those without video, according to Business2Community. In addition to playing video advertisements between songs, Pandora is also investing in its own original v...

Many Americans are turning to portable air conditioners this summer, as unseasonably low temperatures cause many people to decide that full HVAC installations aren't necessary; but homeowners may want to think again. Consumer Reports has recently released data, based on tests of eight different portable air conditioners, showing that performance levels of portable air conditioners are surprisingly low. Most of the air conditioners couldn't even cool a room from 90 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees within 100 minutes -- despite the fact that 78 degrees is considered the borderline for keeping indoor rooms comfortable. Why do people choose portable units? Many residents think that "portable" means the unit can be placed anywhere in the room, and they also assume that a smaller temporary...

As the world of cloud computing continues to expand, so does the need for cloud service providers to add racks on racks on racks of bulky data servers that consume massive amounts of electricity. However, most cloud service providers are finding that their available space for servers is finite, and using standard data servers to store information on the cloud might not be sustainable. This is one of the main reasons why computer manufacturer HP is taking steps now to find a more sustainable means of data storage. “Toward the end of this decade, data growth will come at us at a rate that surpasses the ability of our current infrastructure to evolve to ingest, store and analyze it,” HP said in a statement. “A step change in computing technology is required.” According to a July 6...

The Center for Strategic and International Studies has estimated that cybercrime and economic espionage likely cost the world economy an incredible $445 billion, which is one percent of the global income. Though it's not quite as staggering as the $1 trillion figure that President Barack Obama cited, this figure does put cybercrime in the same ranks as drug trafficking in terms of global economic damage. What's most troubling about the study, though, is that it suggests other problems in addition to these direct economic losses. “This is a global problem and we aren’t doing enough to manage risk,” said James A. Lewis, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a co-author of the report. According to the report, cybercrime most significantly affected t...

Tech Page One has recently released an article highlighting the importance of an evolved point of sale (POS) system in the digital age -- namely, the article states, the conventional POS systems used in the past are proving to be time-consuming and financially irresponsible when compared to newer POS systems. The biggest development in POS systems -- and that which makes traditional POS cash registers seem to be from the Stone Age-- is the ability to conduct sales on smartphones and tablets. Mobile POS gives business owners all of the traditional POS capabilities while allowing for more mobility and security, and without taking up extra space or time. Perhaps most notable is the fact that mobile POS can be customized easily for big retailers and small independent businesses alike. Wheth...

Move Loot, a self-proclaimed online furniture consignment shop, is a unique e-commerce venture -- its business is based upon shipping used furniture in large batches. It might be Move Loot's unique purpose that make it attractive to funding sources -- according to a Monday, June 9 Tech Crunch article, Move Loot has secured $2.8 million in funding from firms like First Round Capital and Index Ventures. With this funding, Move Loot plans to expand from its headquarters in San Francisco, according to Tech Crunch. The company has been growing by about 40% each month since launching earlier this year. Move Loot's concept of an online used furniture shop could offer an affordable furniture option for people hoping to bypass the normally high cost of furnishing a home. According to in...

Office trends come and go, but one thing is clear when it comes to running a business: for many, collaboration is key. This is the reason why many benefit from the open air office environment, and executives are no exception, according to one business. The Church Health Center, based in Memphis, Tennessee, noticed that even their executives in charge flourished when working in a shared space. In February, Chief Administrative Officer Jennie Robbins, Chief Operating Officer Michaela Sturdivant and Chief Strategic Officer Ann Langston moved into an office together after working in separate buildings previously. Langston saw the benefits soon after the switch. "It's amazing how fast you can move things forward when you're all together," she said. Rebecca Courtney, an employee of LRK ...