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What Is Micellar Technology? Your Guide To Effective Cleansing
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If you’re a skin care enthusiast, you’ve probably heard of micellar technology. This type of skin care technology is making waves for its ability to harness the power of micelles (microscopic cleansing agents) to give the skin an effective cleanse, leaving it clean, hydrated and bouncy.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know about micellar technology and how you can use it for gentle and effective cleansing.

What Makes Micellar Technology A Skin Saver?

Dermatologists worldwide recommend micellar technology as one of the best ways to cleanse for every skin type. It provides a gentle and thorough cleanse without stripping the skin of its essential moisture.

Micellar technology was popularized in the early 1900s by the French, who used it to combat the effects of harsh local water on the skin. Micelles, tiny cleansing molecules, are composed of oil-friendly “tails” and water-friendly “heads,” which form small cleansing clusters that attract and dissolve impurities. These surfactants remove water-soluble and fat-soluble impurities (e.g., oil-based makeup) and provide a gentle solution to cleanse, tone and replenish.

You can think of micelles as microscopic magnets. In cleansers, they attract and lift dirt and oil from the skin’s surface, so it can be wiped (or rinsed) away. The result: Skin that has been gently and thoroughly cleansed and ready to absorb the beneficial ingredients in the skin care steps that follow.

5 Benefits of Micellar Technology

We’ve already touched on a few benefits of micellar technology for mild but effective cleansing. Let’s explore the full list.

1. Gentle Cleansing

The primary benefit of micellar technology is that it allows for cleansing that’s easy on the skin. You tend to find micelles in gentler, more hydrating cleansers that avoid the use of harsh chemical ingredients. Instead, they rely on the natural composition of micelles to clear away dirt, oil and impurities without stripping the skin of essential moisture.

2. Skin Barrier Support

Your skin’s lipid barrier protects it from the elements, keeping it healthy and hydrated. Micellar technology respects your skin’s barrier. It eliminates external factors that clog pores and dull your complexion and keeps the healthy oils and bacteria your skin needs to stay healthy and intact.

3. Effective Cleansing

Micelles are gentle but mighty. In a typical cleanser, surfactants float freely throughout the formula. In micellar technology, they cluster together into micelles, so the gentle cleansing agents are more highly concentrated when they make contact with your skin. That means more effective cleansing without excessive rubbing or harsh ingredients that strip moisture from the skin.

4. Enhanced Hydration

Micelles also work to attract water, leaving your skin more hydrated. This enhanced hydration primes the skin, making it more receptive to absorbing the active ingredients in subsequent skin care steps.

5. For All Skin Types

Micellar technology is suitable for all skin types. Micelles are incredibly gentle, making them effective for even sensitive skin. They sweep away dirt and bacteria without stripping the skin, leaving all skin types perfectly cleansed.

How To Add A Micellar Cleanser Into Your Routine

The best way to add micellar technology to your beauty arsenal is to add a micellar cleanser to your skin care routine. We recommend our Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser.

Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser

This unique liquid-to-foam cleanser gently removes impurities without stripping moisture from the skin. Eminence Organic Skin Care’s foam cleansers do not contain any sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS) or harsh detergents — they’ll lather up and rinse clean without leaving your skin feeling tight or irritated.

The Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser includes micelles, which gently clear oil, dirt and debris from the skin. This foaming cleanser also features kombucha, ginger, white tea, and jasmine which work together to refresh and balance the microbiome on your skin barrier. You can read more about the entire Kombucha Microbiome Collection here.
Here’s how to use the cleanser as the first step of your skin care routine:
1. Pump a small amount of product to transform the liquid into a lightweight foam.
2. Apply to the skin and massage gently with your fingertips in a circular motion, covering the face and neck.
3. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
The result is clean, refreshed, and healthy-looking skin that’s primed to receive the next steps of your skin care routine. We suggest following up with your favorite Eminence Organics toner or essence to maximize your skin care benefits.

Final Thoughts On Micellar Cleansers

Micellar cleansers are a gentle, effective and hydrating way to cleanse all skin types. They keep your skin barrier intact, help lock in hydration and allow for greater penetration of the actives that follow in your routine. Your skin will feel clean, refreshed, balanced and healthy.

Curious to learn even more about micellar technology in skin care? Visit an Eminence Organics Spa Partner to discover how you can incorporate it into your skin care routine.
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December 5, 2023
Wireless Headset For Conference Calls

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The Best Quality Headsets for Conference Calls

It wasn’t long ago when you would have to travel every time you needed to attend a business meeting. Thankfully, technology has changed that. With the advent of high-tech computers, cell phones, and the internet, travel isn’t always a must anymore. Conference calling has made life so much easier using the best conference phones for the office!

The tools used to accomplish conference calling have changed quite a bit over the years as well. Take as an example, the ever humble headset. Years ago, everything was connected with wires. Today, due to the requirement of multi-tasking, most headsets are wireless, and you can do work up to 350 feet away from your desk!

Conference calls aren’t just for the office anymore either. Many home business entrepreneurs, whether in the health and wellness field or the industry of inspiration, are incorporating conference calls into their repertoire reaching people. Whether you are such an entrepreneur or you just want to listen to one of their conference calls or webinars, a quality headset for conference calls is a must.

The top wireless headphones for the office and for conference calls will allow you to listen to a speaker with ease, whether it’s your boss in New York or the inspirational speaker who will change your life. If you’re a speaker, you understand how important a quality headset for conference calls really is – it can mean the difference between achieving your goal or not – whether it be a new client, making a deal, or inspiring someone.

Plantronics is one of the top headset companies out there. All of their products are high quality and last for years. You won’t be disappointed with a Plantronics product. That being said, there are a wide array of Plantronics products to choose from.

Here are three of the best headsets for conference calls:

1. The Plantronics CS540 Wireless Headset, Convertible Headset

This is one of the best headsets for conference calls available. This wireless headset system is fairly new, but it has the same dependability as any Plantronics product. It offers a convertible headset, allowing you to wear it three different ways, whatever way is most comfortable for you.

Another amazing fact about this headset – you can talk for seven hours! And, the sound you get during that time is rich, quality sound, even when you’re up to 350 feet away. This quality headset for conference calls also has a noise canceling microphone, so if you’re the one speaking, your listeners will not have to strain to hear you.

One more point about this great product – it allows three additional headsets to conference in with your headset, allowing for comfort and efficiency for each listener.

2. Poly Savi 7210+HL10 Wireless Headset Combo Package

The Poly (Plantronics) Savi 7210 is the replacement of the old CS510 wireless headset, thanks to a newer and more modern design. The Savi offers a range of up to 400 feet on line of sight. The newer design on the headband makes it easier to find the volume controls including the mute key. This bundle comes with the mechanical lifter compatible with any desk phone with a corded handset (receiver). Offering a talk time of up to 12 hours in a single charge and a weight of only 104 grams with bigger earcups providing better sound quality than the previous generation.

This wireless headset combo is one of the highest quality headsets for conference calls and also perfect for webinars, video conferencing, and multimedia uses. And, another great feature of this and most, if not all, Poly devices is it provides listening protection for your ears. A concern of most people who use headphones is how the headphones are going to affect their hearing. These quality headphones for conference calls protects against damaging sound levels.

3. Plantronics Savi 8240 Office Convertible Wireless Headset

This is one of the more sleek and stylish headsets of the bunch. You have three ways to wear the headphones – either over your head, over your ear or behind your neck. This is not only one of the best headsets for conference calls, it is great for podcasts, streaming music, and watching videos online. It’s a headset which is definitely multi-media friendly. You can manage all of the calls from your cell phone or desk phone with this device, too. PC, cell phone, desk phone – all connected with a single device.

If you need to speak during your conference call, because you are the webinar expert speaker or you have to communicate with your boss and co-workers, this is the best headset for conference calls because it has noise canceling technology a perfect match for conference phones in your office. Never again will anyone have to strain to hear what the speaker has to say!

Traveling for work can be a blessing but it can also seem like a curse at times. Fortunately, we don’t necessarily have to travel as frequently as we used to. Technology has made sure of this! And, isn’t it nice, too, that we don’t have to leave our homes to attend a class or workshop? We can attend via an internet workshop or a conference telephone call.

4. Jabra Engage 65 Stereo Wireless Headset System

Jabra offers the Engage 65 Stereo wireless headset as an alternative for a daily use headset. With a nice built quality and lightweight headset, making it a no brainer for a wireless headset for daily use without compromising comfortability and performance. With a higher chipset allowing to have the double of wireless headsets in a single location without interference between them. Built in busy lights can be found on the earcup and on the microphone boom arm tip, allowing the user to let when in a call. The base allows to use the headset with the desk phone and the computer, making it an attractive offer for users wanting one headset for both devices. Fully compatible with all major UC platforms as Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings. Advanced microphone noise canceling from Jabra can be found, being one of the beast headsets that will block most of the unwanted background sounds.

5. EPOS SDW 5016 Convertible Triple Connect Wireless Headset

EPOS formerly known as Sennheiser offers the SDW 5016 as a convertible wireless headset that can be worn over the head, over the ear or behind the next with the included accessories. The base offers triple connectivity, allowing the user to use the headset with a desk phone, a computer thanks to the included USB cable and a Bluetooth enable device as a cell phone or tablet. Designed for people wanting one headset for multiple devices on a comfortable and discrete design. Built in buys light can be found on the ear cup and with noise canceling microphone and fast charging with a talk time of up to 10 hours in a single charge. Fully compatible with EPOS remote answer adapters EHS or their mechanical lifter. Offering conference mode with up to 4 headsets to one base only.

Whatever situation you’re in, a good, quality wireless headset for conference calls will make your listening or speaking experience even better. If you’re a speaker, having the best headset for conference calls will allow your listener to hear you without interruption and interference. If you’re a listener, having the best headphones for conference calls will allow you to grasp every point the speaker is trying to make, or allow you to take note of everything your boss is asking of you.

Here we have discussed just three of the best headsets for conference calls. Take a look at what your speaking or listening needs are and then invest in these invaluable tools.

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December 5, 2023
Christian Louboutin’s Vermelho hotel in Portuguese village of Melides

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Fashion designer Christian Louboutin and architect Madalena Caiado’s 13-room boutique hotel in the village of Melides, south of Lisbon, celebrates craftsmanship and has been “designed at the scale of the hand”.

Named after the French designer’s signature colour, Vermelho, which is Portuguese for red, is Louboutin’s first hospitality project.

Each room is furnished from Louboutin’s collection

The hotel features 13 rooms – all of them filled with the work of local craftsmen and a selection of materials and furniture from Louboutin’s personal collection.

“This project has allowed me to empty my storage full of antiques and objects I have purchased over many years!” Louboutin told Dezeen.

Floor tiles are in Louboutin’s signature shade of red

At one point in the development of the project it looked like it might not be approved to operate as a hotel and so Louboutin decided “if it’s not going to be a hotel, I’m going to do it as my house”. As a result, each of the hotel’s rooms have been individually designed and have their own identity.

“If you build a house, you’re never going to design the same room,” the designer said. “I don’t know a house where you have the same room three times – it only exist in hotels.”

“Houses have feelings – they have different rules to hotels,” he continued. “You can’t have your house looking like a hotel”.

The hotel has been designed in the local architectural style

Vermelho was designed to be “well-integrated into the village” and it was important to Louboutin “that it really respects the area and environment”.

Working with Portuguese architect Caiado, the resulting hotel meets the street as a series of traditional buildings in the local architectural language: white render with blue plinth and window detailing, terracotta-tiled roofs and a scattering of chimneys punctuating the skyline.

There was nothing on the site before work began

“We have tried to imagine a building that could have existed in that place, and that was part of the landscape,” Caiado told Dezeen.

“To achieve that, we made a project adapted to the topography, relating to the surrounding buildings, and re-discovering traditional construction systems and materials.”

The hotel looks onto a private garden and pool

The site, which curves round a private garden and swimming pool that looks out to reed marshes, culminates in a tower, punctuated with playful window openings that hint at the internal character of the project.

Discreet from the street, the interior design and garden-facing facade is full of detail, colour and craftmanship.

The tower features unusual diamond punctuation

The hotel’s maximalist and eclectic style was intended as a reflection of Louboutin’s personal taste, while also celebrating Portuguese savoir-faire and the traditions of local craftspeople.

Having already worked with Caiado on his Lisbon house, Louboutin’s brief for Vermelho was to show Caiado an Indian bracelet from his collection, which from the outside looks like a simple gold bangle, but on its inside face was engraved with busy animal designs and set with diamonds.

The interiors are highly detailed

“I said to Madalena, the hotel should be like the bangle; from the outside, you don’t see anything,” Louboutin explained. “It’s to be a very simple, well-designed building that doesn’t give away much information about the inside,”

“But when you go inside, it should be this animal and diamond thing,” he continued.

Bedrooms feature murals by Konstantin Kakanias

To achieve the highly decorative and detailed interior Louboutin collaborated with designer Carolina Irving, who acted as an advisor on textile creation and decoration, and ceramic tile designer and interiors consultant Patricia Medina.

Hand-painted frescoes by Greek artist Konstantin Kakanias cover the walls, while bedrooms features wardrobes with Maison Gatti French latticework.

Playful murals adorn walls throughout the hotel

Bespoke woodwork and carpentry was completed by Spanish master craftsmen company Los Tres Juanes. Throughout the project Louboutin used Alentjo tiles, as well as giving the Italian artist Giuseppe Ducrot a blank slate to design sculptural ceramic details for the facade.

The hotel restaurant, called Xtian, features a Klove Studio mural chandelier and a bespoke bar covered in hammered silver leaf, which was made by Seville-based liturgical goldsmiths Orfebrería Villarreal.

The bar is made from silver by Spanish goldsmiths

Speaking to Dezeen, Caiado described the project as “at the same time, the most extravagant and most traditional project I’ve ever done”.

“The biggest challenge was balancing the different constellations of ideas for each space, so that it results in a harmonious way,” she explained.

“Especially during construction, Christian was present and brought his own creative universe, but also a more tactile way of thinking and with an artistic component of searching for novelty, even when it came to traditional materials and techniques – almost as if the hotel was designed at the scale of the hand of those who built it.”

Local Atlentjo tiles are used throughout the project

Other recent boutique hotels featured on Dezeen include Dorothée Meilichzon’s revamp of Cowley Manor Experimental and Beata Heuman’s interiors for Hôtel de la Boétie in Paris.

Photography is by Ambroise Tézenas.

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December 4, 2023
Trump Says He Was ‘Eating Too Much’ After January 6
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- Donald Trump pushed back against claims made by Liz Cheney about his well-being after Jan. 6, 2021.
- In a Truth Social post, Trump rejected any notion that he wasn’t eating after leaving the White House.
- Trump in the post said he was “angry” and was actually “eating too much” at the time.
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Former President Donald Trump on Monday said he had been “eating too much” and wasn’t depressed in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, refuting claims made by former Rep. Liz Cheney about his well-being at the time.

In an early-morning post on Truth Social, Trump blasted the ex-Wyoming congresswoman as “crazy” and pushed back against comments made in her forthcoming book, “Oath and Honor,” where she alleged that then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had traveled to Mar-a-Lago to see the former president because his staffers were concerned that he wasn’t eating.

“I was not depressed, I WAS ANGRY, and it was not that I was not eating, it was that I was eating too much,” he wrote. “But that’s not why Keven McCarthy was there. He was at Mar-a-Lago to get my support, and to bring the Republican Party together – Only good intentions.”

Trump then proceeded to blast Cheney over her 2022 GOP primary loss to now-Rep. Harriet Hageman, before accusing her of working with others on the House January 6 panel to “delete and destroy the evidence and findings of the committee.”

Cheney in her book wrote that she questioned why McCarthy, who at the time was angling to flip the House in 2022 and assume the speakership, had made the decision to travel to South Florida to see Trump.

“Mar-a-Lago? What the hell, Kevin?” Cheney asked McCarthy at the time.

“They’re really worried,” McCarthy told Cheney, who at the time was the chair of the House Republican Conference. “Trump’s not eating, so they asked me to come see him.”

“Yeah, he’s really depressed,” McCarthy added, according to the book.

Cheney, who once consulted with the Trump White House on legislative matters as a member of GOP leadership, is now one of the most vocal conservative critics of the former president’s 2024 campaign.

During a Monday interview on NBC’s “Today,” Cheney said that if the election choices are between President Joe Biden and Trump, then it’ll be a vote on the preservation of democracy in the country.

Cheney’s forthcoming book will be released on Tuesday.
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December 4, 2023
US Warship, Commercial Ships Attacked Near Yemen: Pentagon
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- A US warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack in the Red Sea on Sunday.
- Yemen’s Houthi rebel military claimed credit for the attack, though didn’t mention a US ship.
- The Houthis have said they would attack ships aligned with Israel until the Gaza conflict ends.
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An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said. Yemen’s Houthi rebels later claimed attacks on two ships they described as being linked to Israel, but did not acknowledge targeting a US Navy vessel.

The attack potentially marked a significant escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

“We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available,” the Pentagon told The Associated Press.

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. It remained unclear what damage, if any, the vessels sustained in the attacks.

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.

The Pentagon did not identify where it believed the fire came from. However, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attacks, saying the first vessel was hit by a missile and the second by a drone while in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He said the ships ignored warnings from Houthi officials prior to the attack.

Saree did not mention any US warship being involved in the attack.

“The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea (and Gulf of Aden) until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops,” Saree said. “The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or those associated with Israelis that they will become a legitimate target if they violate what is stated in this statement.”

Saree identified the first vessel attacked as the Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier Unity Explorer, which is owned by a British firm that includes Dan David Ungar, who lives in Israel, as one of its officers. The second was a Panamanian-flagged container ship called Number 9, which is linked to Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. Managers for the two vessels could not be immediately reached for comment.

Israeli media identified Ungar as the son of Israeli shipping billionaire Abraham “Rami” Ungar.

The Houthis have been launching a series of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, as well as launching drones and missiles targeting Israel amid the war.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the attack began about 10 a.m. in Sanaa, Yemen, and had gone on for as much as five hours. Another U.S. official who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity for the same reason said the Carney had intercepted at least one drone during the attack.

Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce briefly halted fighting and Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the collapse of the truce and the resumption of punishing Israeli airstrikes and its ground offensive there had raised the risk of the seaborne attacks resuming.

Earlier in November, the Houthis seized a vehicle transport ship also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Missiles also landed near another U.S. warship last week after it assisted a vessel linked to Israel that had briefly been seized by gunmen.

However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that destroyed three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships at the time.
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December 3, 2023
Martin Brudnizki draws on “gritty glamour” for Broadwick Soho hotel

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Interior architect Martin Brudnizki has used Italian maiolica tiles and bespoke furniture from India to give London‘s Broadwick Soho hotel an eclectic look.

The eight-floor hotel was designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS) to evoke the history of Soho – the London neighbourhood that surrounds it.

The hotel is located on Broadwick Street in London’s Soho area

“Inspired by ‘gritty glamour’ and the diverse history of Soho, MBDS’s design influences range from 1970s disco pop elements to British eccentricity,” studio founder Martin Brudnizki told Dezeen.

The hotel was also influenced by “the strong women who frequented Soho during the 1960s and 70s such as Mary Fedden, Molly Parkin and Muriel Belcher.”

Maiolica tiles decorate the restaurant bar

Broadwick Soho is comprised of 57 rooms, which Brudnizki decorated in opulent colours and patterns. For the downstairs Italian restaurant, Dear Jackie, Brudnizki sourced materials and accessories that nod to its cuisine.

“A split-level restaurant, the communal dining takes centre stage with long counter-style tables featuring 1970s Formica tops and Memphis-inspired chandeliers suspended from coral lacquered ceilings,” he said.

Floral patterns cover the walls of the restaurant

“The bar features maiolica tiles in traditional southern Italian patterns,” Brudnizki added. “This compliments the maiolica wall covering adorned with Sicilian folk motifs of grapes and flowers.”

The handpainted ceramic tiles for the bar were developed by the studio itself together with a family business in Sicily.

Rooms feature decorative elephant wallpaper

In some of the guestrooms, walls were decorated with marbled wallpaper with a pattern of tigers and elephants. The elephant was chosen as a symbol for the hotel and was also turned into mini bars in the hotel’s suites.

“A huge amount of bespoke pieces were designed by the studio and produced by talented craftspeople across the world,” Brudnizki said.

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio had elephant minibars crafted in India

“The wonderful elephant mini bars in the suites were designed by the studio and crafted in India,” he added.

“We actually travelled to India to work with the craftspeople directly, ensuring each detail was as we envisioned.”

A vintage Murano glass chandelier hangs in The Nook

The studio also sourced a number of vintage pieces for the hotel, including a 1970s Murano glass chandelier that hangs from the ceiling of The Nook – Broadwick Soho’s residents-only ground-floor lounge.

MBDS also commissioned new Murano glass lamps that are scattered throughout the space.

Monumental Damien Hirst sculptures feature inside Bacchanalia London restaurant

“All of the Murano glass lights throughout the property have been made and developed by local artisans in the Venice region,” Brudnizki said.

“Lastly, there is a collection of antiques throughout the hotel that have been sourced from independent Italian and British antique dealers, auction houses and shops.”

Rooftop bar Flute features a variety of polished materials

Broadwick Soho’s rooftop dining bar – named Flute after a 19th-century flute maker on Broadwick Street – is an example of how Brudnizki played with multiple colours and patterns to create a space that he describes as combining “cocooned comfort with maximalist glamour”.

Here, saturated green and pink pastel colours contrast gleaming marble and brass details, while contemporary art decorates the walls.

The Nook has a cosy reading area

The overall aim of the project was to create a hotel that would suit the context and history of Soho.

“We were conscious of ensuring that what we were designing felt authentic and true to the Soho context and neighbourhood,” Brudnizki concluded.

“It has such a strong and important cultural history, we were conscious we needed to draw this out and bring it to the forefront of our design concept.”

Previous London projects designed by Brudnizki, who was one of the judges for Dezeen Awards 2023, include a mythology-informed restaurant and the redesign of members’ club Annabel’s.

The photography is by James McDonald.

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December 2, 2023
US Navy Says It Will Use AI to Track Chinese Submarines in the Pacific
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- The US, Australia, and the UK will use AI to counter China’s growing military assertiveness in the Pacific.
- The move is part of the Aukus Pillar II alliance between the countries.
- The US has reported a spike in aggressive behavior by China.
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The US, UK, and Australia have unveiled new plans to trial the use of AI to track Chinese submarines in the Pacific.

Speaking on Friday at a joint meeting in Mountain View, California, defense leaders from each country announced two new plans under Aukus Pillar II, a trilateral security arrangement set up in 2021 that aims to “help sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

One of the new efforts announced was the use of advanced AI on patrol aircraft — including the US’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which is equipped for anti-submarine warfare — to process information from underwater detection devices used by each country.

Data processed by AI will enable the three countries to track Chinese submarines with more speed and accuracy.

“These joint advances will allow for timely high-volume data exploitation, improving our anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” they said in a joint statement.

The P-8A poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft will be equipped with AI-powered tools to help tackle rising Chinese aggression.

MLADEN ANTONOV / Getty

AI algorithms and machine learning will also be used to “enhance force protection, precision targeting, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”

In addition to AI, the three countries said they were collaborating in other technological areas such as quantum technologies, electronic warfare, and hypersonic weapons.

Speaking at the press conference, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that China’s rising aggression had increased the need for collaboration.

Just weeks ago a team of Australian naval divers were injured by a Chinese warship’s sonar weapon, despite making their presence known to the vessel’s crew.

“This is unsafe and unprofessional conduct,” Marles said about the incident, per The Guardian. “The safety and wellbeing of our [Australian Defence Force] personnel continues to be our utmost priority.

“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner,” he added.

The Pentagon’s recent China Military Power Report noted a significant concern “of an operational incident or miscalculation spiraling into crisis or conflict.”
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December 2, 2023
Americans Are Doom Saving, Too
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- US consumers are responding in diverging ways to an uncertain economic outlook.
- While some are “doom spending” — mindlessly spending money — others are looking for ways to save.
- The economy needs these “doom savers,” even though they could cause headaches for some businesses.
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There’s a lot to be anxious about.

In response to uncertainty, some people turn to “doomscrolling,” or mindlessly swiping through a bottomless social media feed. <ore than a quarter of Americans say they’re turning to the financial equivalent — doom spending — to quell their concerns.

If the antidote to “doomscrolling” is putting down the phone, then the opposite of “doom spending” might well be putting down the credit card in favor of “doom saving.” Many consumers are doing just that.

Data from retailers and from the US government indicate a cohort of increasingly cautious consumers is growing, even as many continue to spend “like drunken sailors,” in the words of JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon.

And while the Intuit report that coined the “doom spending” neologism noted that a troubling 22% of Americans have no savings at all. Millennials and Gen Z survey respondents, in particular, report they are blowing cash (or promising to pay later) for stuff that makes them feel a little better, for now at least.

Still, roughly half of Americans have at least $2,000 in the bank.

That’s admittedly not great, but several signs point to a more mindful approach to money taking hold in some households.

For starters, US economic data released Thursday show a slight increase in personal savings, which has been in decline in recent months. The rate is still very low, and it will take a few more months to see a real trend.

Meanwhile, retailers like Walmart and Target said in November that consumer spending was continuing to crack under the pressure of high interest rates, persistent inflation, and other factors like October’s resumption of student loan repayments.

“This year, we’ve seen more and more consumers delaying their spending until the last moment,” Target CEO Brian Cornell said. “Guests who previously bought sweatshirts or denim in August or September are deciding to wait until the weather turns cold before making a purchase.”

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon even indicated that the recovery of supply and softening of consumer demand could lead to price reductions on the grocery aisle.

Both retailers, as well as several others, also noted that shoppers are trying to stretch their dollars further and are increasingly selective about the deals they’re willing to spend on.

Spending on discounts and deals is, of course, not saving — it’s still spending — but the mindset of “doom saving” is about responding to uncertainty by trying to conserve a finite resource.

Looking at Black Friday last week, shoppers responded strongly to deep discounts from retailers.

Most consumers are sick of high prices, according to a recent Morning Consult survey, but more than a third of respondents said they’d be okay with a recession if that’s what it took to get inflation to come down.

Interestingly, even though these more cautious consumers could squeeze some companies’ sales growth, the economy as a whole could seriously use a dose of their frugality.

In other words, “doom spending,” like its older siblings “revenge spending” and “stimulus spending,” is a key driver of the continuing inflation that has yet to be successfully reined in.

Spending less and saving more —doom saving, so to speak — might not be as entertaining as hedonistic consumption, but it should help curb the price increases that still pose a real risk to the economy.
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December 1, 2023
Why do so many still choose wired earbuds or headphones? – PHIATON

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While teens on social media are adopting wired headphones as a “vintage” trend, there are many reasons why many people are still opting for wired earbuds and headphones as opposed to wireless and Bluetooth listening devices.

Airpods first hit the market in 2016, and since then, millions have ditched the long-standing wired earbuds and made the switch to the new modern craze, which generated Apple Inc. $38.3 billion in net sales from September 2020 to September 2021. Celebrities like Bella Hadid, Lily-Rose Depp, and Zoë Kravitz have been photographed in their sleek streetwear styles, rocking a pair of good old-fashioned wired headphones, prompting fans and followers worldwide to recreate this new “vintage” trend themselves.

However, there are several reasons why many believe wired is the way to go, as you will discover upon reading further in this article.

Because it’s trendy

Bluetooth earbuds and wireless headphones were the hot trend for a while due to how new modern and unique they were but eventually, they became something that everybody had, which led to people, particularly teens, not wanting to appear “basic.” There is nothing more common than the wish to be remarkable.

“In short, AirPods have become too widespread to be cool,” wrote the Wall Street Journal. “So, perhaps inevitably, contrarian trendsetters are reviving some ancient technology: corded headphones.”

Thousands of videos on TikTok have shown various “trend forecasters” explaining why this “vintage” trend is coming back, as well as fashion professionals adding to the analysis. Lisa Z. Morgan, head of the apparel design department at the Rhode Island School of Design, said that a sense of nostalgia is part of what’s fueling the revival.

“There’s a very wistful look back to times that appear to be simpler, there’s no doubt about it,” Morgan said. “There’s a sense of nostalgia [from teens] for a time that I don’t think they’ve even experienced, which is quite curious … I think they see these photographs and images from magazines and music and culture.”

Because of the sound quality

Despite all the discourse around wired earbuds making a comeback due to the latest fashion trend, there are other reasons why people opt for wired earphones. Many highly regard the quality of the craftsmanship of something that plugs in directly to your device versus having to stream the sound via Bluetooth. It is true that wireless earbuds are very convenient in not having to deal with a cable, but their evolution towards good sound quality is yet to be on par with wired headphones.

Using wired headphones, which are directly attached to your device, mitigates any potential connectivity or Bluetooth issues that you may experience with wireless headphones. Analog signals are used in wired headphones to deliver excellent sound quality, which can handle more data than digital signals like Bluetooth. The audio won’t have to go through so much processing to reach you, making for a much cleaner, crisper audio in its full resolution.

Because wired earbuds and headphone manufacturers won’t have to spend as much money on creating wireless technologies, they’ll be able to concentrate their efforts (and resources) on what counts most: sound quality. The analog signals used in wired headphones can handle more data than Bluetooth signals, avoiding any risk of audio compression and making for a much clearer sound.

Because of the price

Wired earbuds are generally cheaper because it is much more costly to make wireless earbuds than their corded counterparts. Manufacturers inflate their bill of materials for wireless buds, which in turn makes the product more expensive.

They don’t require charging

Having another device to charge periodically is a big inconvenience in this day and age, where almost every product comes with a battery. With wired earbuds, you won’t have to worry about losing your music or your podcast halfway through your flight. You can just plug and play without any care in the way.

They are less likely to be lost

Many Bluetooth earbud devices come with a little charger/carrying case. Not only is it tiny and easy to misplace, but the earbuds themselves are minuscule little pieces that could easily fall out of your ear while sleeping on a plane, or sweating during an intense exercise. The risk of getting your AirPods stolen is much higher than wired headphones because not only of their small, portable size, but also because they have been a hot commodity since their release in 2016, despite current trends changing the norm.

In general, they are a better investment

People are sporting AirPods everywhere you go. Some are listening to music, others to the hottest new podcasts, while others are simply wearing them to avoid having to chat with strangers. They’ve become as much a part of our daily lives as the original iPod earphones did 20 years ago.

Despite the inconvenience of cables getting in the way, in the end, wired earbuds and headphones are a greater investment because not only are they cheaper, but they have better sound quality, are less likely to be lost or stolen, don’t require charging, and, of course, you can keep up with the latest trend of bringing “vintage” back.

By Claire Barnett

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December 1, 2023
Kelly Wearstler designs Ulla Johnson store interior that “speaks to LA”

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American interior designer Kelly Wearstler has paired a towering tree with speckled burl wood panelling and vintage furniture by Carlo Scarpa at the Ulla Johnson flagship store in West Hollywood.

Wearstler created the light-filled, two-storey shop as the flagship Los Angeles location for Johnson’s eponymous clothing brand.

Kelly Wearstler has designed the interiors for Ulla Johnson’s LA flagship

The duo worked together to envisage the sandy-hued interiors, which Wearstler described as “something that really speaks to LA”.

“A priority for me and Ulla was to ensure that the showroom encapsulated the quintessence of the West Coast, firmly grounded in both the surrounding environment and local community,” the designer told Dezeen.

The “Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor” permeates the interior

Visitors enter the store via a “secret” patio garden lined with desert trees and shrubs rather than on Beverly Boulevard, where the original entrance was.

“This Californian idea of merging indoor and outdoor is evident from the moment you approach the store,” said Wearstler, who explained that her designs tend to nod to the “natural world”.

Wearstler designed textured interiors to reflect Johnson’s collections

Inside, three interconnected, open-plan spaces on the ground floor were dressed with textured interiors that mirror Johnson’s similarly rich collections, which hang from delicate clothing rails throughout the store.

Standalone jewellery display cases by Canadian artist Jeff Martin feature in the cavernous accessories space. Clad with peeling ribbons of grooved, caramel-coloured tiles, the cases echo floor-to-ceiling speckled burl wood panels.

The mezzanine includes a double-height tree

The other living room-style area was designed as a sunroom with a pair of boxy 1970s Cornaro armchairs by modernist Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, as well as parquet flooring with Rosa Corallo stone inlay.

“Vintage pieces are infused into all of my projects and I enjoy experimenting with the dialogues created by placing these alongside contemporary commissions,” explained Wearstler.

A lumpy resin table features in an upstairs lounge

The largest of the three spaces, the mezzanine is illuminated by skylights and houses a double-height Brachychiton – a tree that also features in the designer’s own Malibu home.

A chunky timber staircase leads to the upper level, where another lounge was finished in burnt orange and cream-coloured accents including a lumpy marbelised resin coffee table by LA-based designer Ross Hansen.

“We collaborated with a variety of local artisans to imbue the spirit of Southern California into every facet of the project,” said Wearstler.

Kelly Wearstler and Masastudio design California home as a “modern ruin”

Ribbed plaster walls and textured flooring line a fitting room close by, which was created to evoke a residential feeling, according to the designer.

“We wanted people to feel at home in the store so we prioritised warm and inviting elements,” she said.

Another striking display cabinet made from wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”.

Wavy burl wood evokes “a touch of 1970s California nostalgia”

The Ulla Johnson store is also used as a community space, which hosts rotating art installations, talks with guest speakers and other events.

Wearstler recently designed an eclectic cocktail bar at the Downtown LA Proper hotel, which she previously created the wider interiors for. Her portfolio also features a 1950s beachfront cottage renovation in Malibu.

The photography is by Adrian Gaut.

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November 30, 2023