Tag: years

Living At Airports For Months – Even Years – At A Time
SELF

Living At Airports For Months – Even Years – At A Time

In January, local authorities arrested a 36-year-old man named Aditya Singh after he had spent three months living at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport. Since October, he had been staying in the secure side of the airport, relying on the kindness of strangers to buy him food, sleeping in the terminals and using the many bathroom facilities. It wasn’t until an airport employee asked to see his ID that the jig was up. Singh, however, is far from the first to pull off an extended stay. After more than two decades studying the history of airports, I’ve come across stories about individuals who have managed to take up residence in terminals for weeks, months and sometimes years. Interestingly, though, not all of those who find themselves living in an airport do so of their own accord. Bl...
For Over 60 Years The marketing Tricks That Kept The Barbie’s Brand Alive
FOR BUSINESS

For Over 60 Years The marketing Tricks That Kept The Barbie’s Brand Alive

The marketing tricks that have kept Barbie’s brand alive for over 60 years. Rejected by the toy industry at first, Barbie is now one of America’s most trusted brands. “She” – the 11.5 inch blonde doll, but also her brand persona – generated worldwide sales of around US$1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) in 2022, and has a brand value of US$590 million. Barbie debuted on March 9 1959 at the New York International Toy Fair as Barbie Teenage Fashion Model. Sixty-four years later, the doll continues to be the subject of cultural, sociological and psychological interest. By creating an iconic brand with special meaning for fans of all ages (Barbie is marketed to children aged three and older), toy company Mattel has successfully extended the lifecycle of the Barbie brand for well over half a century. ...
Alex Jones Is Being Held Accountable For Spreading Conspiracy Theories 10 Years After The Sandy Hook Shooting – But Those Sorts Of Lies Now Plague The US
Journalism, POLITICS

Alex Jones Is Being Held Accountable For Spreading Conspiracy Theories 10 Years After The Sandy Hook Shooting – But Those Sorts Of Lies Now Plague The US

Conspiracy theories are powerful forces in the U.S. They have damaged public health amid a global pandemic, shaken faith in the democratic process and helped spark a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. These conspiracy theories are part of a dangerous misinformation crisis that has been building for years in the U.S. While American politics has long had a paranoid streak, and belief in conspiracy theories is nothing new, outlandish conspiracy theories born on social media now regularly achieve mainstream acceptance and are echoed by people in power. Recently, one of the most popular American conspiracy theorists faced consequences in court for his part in spreading viral lies. Right-wing radio host Alex Jones and his company, Infowars, were ordered by juries in Connecti...
Would An Outspoken Australian-Muslim Activist ‘Get Yassmined?’ 5 Years On, Abdel-Magied Herself Hopes Change Is Happening
Journalism

Would An Outspoken Australian-Muslim Activist ‘Get Yassmined?’ 5 Years On, Abdel-Magied Herself Hopes Change Is Happening

Does Australia still have a racism problem? Or does it simply suffer from a diversity and inclusion problem at the level of governance and political representation? Answering these questions is rarely straightforward and always depends on the personal experiences and ethno-religious backgrounds of those asking. The new Albanese government has delivered the most diverse cabinet in Australian history: from the appointment of Linda Burney, the first First Nations woman to be Indigenous Affairs minister, to the elevation of Muslims Ed Husic and Anne Aly as ministers, to the election of Fatima Payman as Australia’s first hijab-wearing senator. Diversity and inclusion, at least in political representation, seem to be much improved. Yet while many national surveys show strong support for diver...
Do You Really Want To Know? – This Calculator Will Guess How Many Healthy Years Of Life You Have Left
SOCIETY

Do You Really Want To Know? – This Calculator Will Guess How Many Healthy Years Of Life You Have Left

As the old saying goes, the only things certain in life are death and taxes. While death is inevitable, the quality of life you experience until death is often within an individual’s control. This is what our team at the Goldenson Center for Actuarial Research chose to focus on by developing a rigorous measure of quality of life. How many healthy years of life do you have ahead before you become unhealthy? Everyone understands the benefits of living a long healthy life, but this also has implications for industry and society. Medical costs, financial planning and health support services are directly related to the state of health of an individual or community. We call this measure of quality of life “healthy life expectancy” and its complement “unhealthy life expectancy.” We define ente...
New Years Resolutions: Do You Really Need Them?
Journalism

New Years Resolutions: Do You Really Need Them?

The New Year is almost here and you may have a list of resolutions you've already set. The question is, do you really need them? For many people, setting resolutions for the new year is little more than a tradition they participate in. It might feel good at the moment - especially when you are caught up in the wave of "New Year, New Me" excitement. But the truth is, the new year rolls around and you remain the same old you, with the same quirks and beliefs. And you know what? That's okay. You have a uniqueness about you that you shouldn't try to force into a box with resolutions you don't actually believe in. Studies have shown that approximately 80% of new year's resolutions fail by the second week of February. So again, do you really need new year's resolutions? Short answer: no, you...
50 Years Ago Computer Space Launched The Video Game Industry – Here’s The Real Reason You Probably Haven’t Heard Of It
TECHNOLOGY, VIDEO REELS

50 Years Ago Computer Space Launched The Video Game Industry – Here’s The Real Reason You Probably Haven’t Heard Of It

Noah Wardrip-Fruin, University of California, Santa Cruz Before Pong there was Computer Space, the first commercial video game. The progenitor of today’s US$175 billion industry debuted on Oct. 15, 1971, at the Music Operators of America trade show in Chicago. Housed in a futuristic-looking cabinet, Computer Space took its place alongside the latest jukeboxes, pinball machines and other coin-operated games manufacturers were pitching to arcade and bar owners. Computer Space was innovative, but how was it to play? Ed Fries, CC BY-ND Computer Space, made by the small company Nutting Associates, seemed to have everything going for it. Its scenario – flying a rocket ship through space locked in a dogfight with two flying saucers – seemed perfect for the times. The Apollo Moon missions were in...
10 Years In 1 Day: How Did It Pass?
Journalism, SOCIETY

10 Years In 1 Day: How Did It Pass?

Envision this: You dozed off at a companion's New Year's celebration and you've quite recently woken up. The solitary thing is, it was Dec 31 2010 when you showed up however now you take a gander at the schedule on the kitchen divider you understand it's January 1st 2021! Much the same as that, 10 years have flown by! After you battle out the entryway, you end up remaining in a dubiously recognizable road and you locate that equivalent battered old earthy colored wallet in your back pocket. Some way or another you were cryogenically frozen (however that is a story for one more day) and now you have a ton of making up for lost time to do. How about we take a gander at the world around and perceive how things have changed, particularly for you-a tech enthusiast and one of the main computer...
Putin’s United Russia Latest Parliamentary Win Has Been Years In The Making
IN OTHER NEWS, POLITICS

Putin’s United Russia Latest Parliamentary Win Has Been Years In The Making

Regina Smyth, Indiana University President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party defied economic concerns and a recent slump in support to retain a parliamentary majority – to the surprise of almost no one. The official tally announced by Russia’s Central Election Commission on Sept. 20, 2021, was met with immediate skepticism. The three-day vote has been plagued with allegations of poll violations, the exclusion of opposition leaders and delays in the announcement of online voting results that strongly favored regime candidates. The outcome means United Russia retains a constitutional majority in parliament. The other big winners in the national election were smaller, pro-Kremlin parties. If taken on face value, the results would suggest a turnaround in approval rates for United...
For 25 Years The Internet Archive Has Been Fighting To Keep What’s On The Web From Disappearing – And You Can Help
TECHNOLOGY

For 25 Years The Internet Archive Has Been Fighting To Keep What’s On The Web From Disappearing – And You Can Help

Kayla Harris, University of Dayton; Christina Beis, University of Dayton, and Stephanie Shreffler, University of Dayton This year the Internet Archive turns 25. It’s best known for its pioneering role in archiving the internet through the Wayback Machine, which allows users to see how websites looked in the past. Increasingly, much of daily life is conducted online. School, work, communication with friends and family, as well as news and images, are accessed through a variety of websites. Information that once was printed, physically mailed or kept in photo albums and notebooks may now be available only online. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed even more interactions to the web. You may not realize portions of the internet are constantly disappearing. As librarians and archivists, we str...