I actually bled for this article. Turns out the comfy-chic white leather sneaks I wore to the worlds largest technology conference might not have been the best choice. Racking up to15km a day on foot, the only respite for my skinned heels was that battling with 175,000 other people there to see tomorrow today makes for an average top speed of 0.25mph.

On the other hand, the technology and brands present are in hyperdrive.

By now, youll have read (or perhaps savantly avoided) umpteen articles covering the Lenovo Yoga 5G laptop, LGs eye-melting 8K displays, and of course artificial intelligence (AI) powered everything. But the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is about so much more than announcements. Its about humans and the way were living life. So while it would be easy to rattle off a list of individual innovations worth column inches, lets instead zoom out from the fact Samsungs Gen Z-geared vertical television is going to launch outside of Asia this year, away from Fords glorious Mustang Mach-E Tesla contender, and focus on what we actually all do for a living: understanding people. Here are the five things you need to know from CES 2020.

1: Tech makers are finally evolving past gadgets

Or trying at least. Countless products were on show that went beyond core technologies to propose actual solutions to human needs, marking a departure from the razzmatazz ofmaking shiny boxes because we can.

A prime example is Boschs latest smart fridge offering, which now goes a step further than simply seeing whats in your fridge to query arecipe database and make dinner suggestions that help to reduce food waste and save consumers time and money.

CookingPals Julia smart cooking system picks up where the fridge leaves off: recipe suggestions are turned into foolproof step-by-step instructions for budding chefs, tired professionals and busy parents to pop into the Julia, a gigantic bowl that kneads, chops, cooks, steams and more. This sharpened focus on human-centred product design uncovers potential for brands to enter these technology driven value-add ecosystems, to become an ally for a better life.

2: Smart materials will help us do more, with less

With the world quite literally on fire, considered consumerism has never been higher in our collective consciousness. Gen Z now outnumber millennials in the UK, and thanks totheir influence on a family spending budget of 268bn, conscious consumption is going nowhere but up. When each purchase has to mean more and do more, multi-functionalityis key.

Enter Solar Paper, a million-dollar Kickstarter phenomenon that built a paper-thin solar panel to charge devices, and is actively looking for new partners. Or take flexible-screen specialist Royole, which showed off with its RoTree made of 1,000 soft screen leaves also embedded into fashion items, allowing clothing or homewares to be programmable at the touch of a button. Hong Kong based KnitWarm showed off its silver-conductive 3D-knit accessories that heat in 30 seconds when plugged into a portable battery pack but are otherwise indiscernible from regular knits.

Applications could include cold environment clothing, sports gear, elderly and baby care, automotive textiles, home furnishing, bedding and more. Weve got the job of figuring out how brands can use these technologies to delight and deliver value in more than one context, challenging the one-dimensionality of products to build a more sustainable future.

3: The shift from healthcare to wellbeing has happened

CES was jam-packed with technologies and ideas to help us manage our holistic wellbeing in a more prophylactic way. This isnt news, as trends like microbiomes and meditation have been sweeping Western society for the past few years, but we have now hit an inflexion point where more than just calorie counters are available to help people take active management of their well state as well as their diseased one.

We saw anevolution from the myriad fingerpick blood tests I discussed in December towards pee-stick-based diagnostics, morefitness trackers than any sane person could handle (the Withings ScanWatch stole the show thanks to its apnea and atrial fibrillation detection), bloodless glucose monitors,systolic and diastolic measurement blood pressure wristbands, ECG sportswear, and even a smart belt that helps prevent hard falls in the elderly by analysing gait patterns and otherdata points and alerting them to danger.

Sex tech finally made an all-out appearance, mainly concentrating on the female pleasure conversation.

Great, thats a lot of sophisticated gadgets. But the point is the market is driving enough speculation that people will buy into new active management tactics. Brands in health, wellbeing, fitness, FMCG and even travel can tap into this evolution of consumer behaviour by helping design moments and ways to use these new devices to greater effect.

The single biggest wellness facet well see explode in 2020 is sleep: its easy to track and there are manymethods to correct poor sleep habits. Food and drink, homewares, apparel, lighting, music and health brands can all help consumers try to get better kip with smart mattresses, sleep trackers, headbands and lamps to optimise their slumber. Well see a rise in the conversation around sleep for performance, which will fuel adoption of tactics by seriously motivated early-adopters, driving mass interest by Christmas 2020.

4: 5G isnt just about bandwidth

Its going to be really easy to talk about loading speeds of video content or streaming capability for brands on their first forays into gaming. But while both of those symptoms of 5G are true, downloading a movie a bit faster or waiting less for our fave streaming show to start isnt reason enough to run out for new 5G-enabled phones.

Brands that win at 5G will understand that its power is infrastructural in nature, such as the ability to support a sprawling Internet of Things with no latency between myriad devices, relay information from remote places such as drone footage, and even components that can charge themselves not from the grid but off millimetre waves instead. In 2020, focusing on applications that redefine what cellular network connection can do rather than streaming speeds will give you a longer-term competitive advantage.

5: Privacy shouldnt be a luxury

With the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) coming into action, the collective conversation around ownership of personal data is going nowhere. Largely heralded the American GDPR, it is hoped to fuel a wider federal conversation around how consumers can access and have their personal information deleted from companies databases.

The conversation raged on at CES, most notably in the form of a panel discussion between Facebook, Apple, P&G and the Federal Trade Commission. Beyond the obvious steps we should take with our customers data to protect and respect them, we need to shift from doing whats required to doing what is right. Transparent and easy ways to engage people on the topic and provision of tools for them to see what data brands hold on them and revoke whichever they desire will become a competitive advantage for those brave enough to lead the change.

With CES behind us, the horizon of big announcements is now clear until Google, Facebook and Apples developer conferences roll around in May and June respectively.

More than enough time for us to get stuck into our collective year of making great experiences. And for me to buy a new pair of shoes.

Gracie Page is emerging technology director at VMLY&R

More:
Who cares about 8K TVs; here's what you need to know about CES 2020 - CampaignLive

Lifestyle The disused terminal at Galway Airport is being transformed for Sruth na Teanga, an immersive journey through centuries of Irish language and culture. Created by theatre company Branar, it was commissioned by Galway 2020 and will use puppetry, music, video and live performance to give audiences a fresh insight into the oldest vernacular language in Western Europe. Its creator and director, Marc Mac Lochlainn talks to JUDYMURPHY.

Entering the terminal of Galway Airport is like visiting the place that time forgot.

The desks for Avis and Budget Travel are still in place, exactly as they were when the facility closed nine years ago. So too are signs saying Departures and Garda and Customs only, while the yellow pay-machines for the empty car-park stand abandoned by the main door and wind howls through the deserted building.

At the reception desk, a dog-eared copy of Dan Browns novel, Deception, is a lonesome reminder of the days when people thronged through this airport, carrying reading material for their flights.

Its a bit like the Mary Celeste, says Marc Mac Lochlainn, the director of Branar Tatar do Phist with a mischievous grin. Hes referring to the American shipwreck that was found abandoned off the Azores in 1872, with everything perfectly intact but its crew missing.

At the height of Storm Brendan, with the rain lashing and wind howling, the space does feel eerie, but from March 2-29, thanks to Branar, it will become home to magical forests, streams and islands for one of the main events of Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Branars new show, Sruth na Teanga, was commissioned by 2020 as one of its flagship productions. Now the theatre company has just over a month to transform the abandoned terminal building into a space for an immersive journey capturing the evolution of Western Europes oldest written, and still spoken, language. That language is Irish a subject which caused so many people so much angst at school.

Marc is aware of this difficult legacy, but points out that Irish language and its culture far predates what has happened to it in the 20th Century at the hands of the Irish education system.

And thats what Sruth na Teanga based on the metaphor of a river is all about. With puppetry, music, video mapping and live performance, its for children and adults and Marc hopes it will give people a fresh appreciation for Irish and its ongoing role in shaping us as a nation, through our place-names, our stories, our songs and the way we view the world.

Transforming the deserted airport terminal for this production will be no small feat but then Branar have never been short of ambition, as anyone who has seen their magical productions, such as How to Catch a Star and Woollys Quest, will be aware.

Sruth na Teanga has been evolving since 2015 when Galway first sought the European Capital of Culture designation and invited people such as Marc to dream big.

For more, read this weeks Connacht Tribune.

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Local brewery kicks off New Year with launch of new range of canned beers - Connacht Tribune Group

From showrunner/executive producer Marja-Lewis Ryan, the Showtime series The L Word: Generation Q, the sequel to the groundbreaking series that debuted in 2004, continues to follow the lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Heiley) and Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig), as they experience love and heartbreak in Los Angeles. And picking back up with them, 10 years later, means a chance to get to know new characters, including Dani Nez (Arienne Mandi), Micah Lee (Leo Sheng), Finley (Jacqueline Toboni), Sophie Suarez (Rosanny Zayas) and Gigi (Sepideh Moafi), all of whom have their own trials and tribulations on their roads of self-discovery.

During this 1-on-1 interview, actress Katherine Moennig (whos also an executive producer on the series) talked about when she realized the series would actually be returning, being more involved this time around, why it was tricky to get back into this character, figuring out what Shane has been up to for the last 10 years, getting to work with some of her former co-stars, weaving the original characters with the new characters, her desire to direct an episode, and the hope that this series will continue beyond this eight-episode season.

Image via Showtime

Collider: Theres been talk of this show possibly coming back for awhile now. When did you realize it was actually going to happen?

KATHERINE MOENNIG: Well, when Jennifer [Beals], Leisha [Hailey] and myself went to Ilene Chaiken, it was in 2012. We were like, For whatever reason, we feel like this isnt over yet, and we dont know why and we dont know in what format. Reboots didnt exist, at that time. The only option was really a TV movie, and those didnt exist. We didnt understand what format it would take, but wed been working for awhile, trying to find a way to bring this back. And then, finally, I believe it was in 2017 that we found out Showtime was interested in bringing it back, as well. So then, we went through the process. Ilene said, I want a younger voice to speak for this generation, along with the three of you. I give credit to Ilene for doing that. So then, it was going through the process of finding that voice. Thats where we all met [Marja-Lewis Ryan] Once Marja came on board, it was still a matter of wondering, Will we be making just a pilot? When will that happen? And then, before we knew it, I believe it was in early February that we found out it was going directly to series. And so, here we are now. Its been a long road. It was a good seven or eight year process of getting this to where it is now.

And youre signed on as executive producer this time. Was that because you wanted more involvement and more of a say in how things would go?

MOENNIG: Yeah. Since we were a part of the original series, the purpose of having that title is also to help add to that voice. We understand the show. Granted, it is in a new world, but there has to be some root in the old. And so, thats where were able to collaborate and come up with things. Its been a wonderful experience.

You want consistency, but you also want an evolution, and it seems like thats a tricky balance.

MOENNIG: It is a tricky balance, and its hard to do. And that only happens with a lot of collaboration and discussion, and spit-balling ideas, and finding a happy medium. Thus far, its been a really wonderful line of communication.

Image via Showtime

Was it really comfortable to get back into this character, especially knowing that you dont have to pick up right where you left off and shes evolved?

MOENNIG: For me, it was tricky because Ive been doing another series for so long, and a very different character on a very different, stylized show. My brain has been in that gear for so long that to shift back into this gear takes a minute. I spend a lot of time maybe overthinking it, so by the time I get to work and the director yells, Action!, Im in it. Im always just trying to find the truth of the truth of the situation. As long as I focus on the truth and the honesty, hopefully, the rest of it just falls into place.

Does it also help that youre looking at some familiar faces from the last time around?

MOENNIG: Oh, yeah. Thats just a gift. That doesnt come around often, and were so fortunate to have each other to lean on again.

Is it fun to get to explore these characters, at a different point in their lives?

MOENNIG: Yeah, it is actually interesting. Theres a lot of reflection and a lot of imagination. Sometimes the imagination goes off in crazy directions and you have to reel that back in. Its a real testament to think that us, as people, mature and evolve and grow, but we really are who we are, at our core. And to keep that in mind, throughout this journey, is a fascinating case study.

Was there a lot of conversation about where Shane has been, along with where shes going?

MOENNIG: In terms of where shes been, Marj and I sussed that out, with Ilenes voice in it, as well. We sussed out where shes been, these last ten year, and a lot of that was for story points and things that Ive been told I cant talk about. But in terms of where shes been, on her own accord, I treat that as my own personal monologue that I have in my head, and its just for me to become reacquainted and to understand who she is again. Thats something that I dont share with anyone. Its really just for my own benefit. It might not even make sense to anyone else. I need some sort of anchor, so thats where my work and my homework comes in.

Image via Showtime

What can you say about where we see Shane again, and her connection to the friends that she had before?

MOENNIG: We meet up with her again when shes coming back to L.A., after being gone for awhile. Shes coming back because shes getting away from a very loaded history. Shes becoming reacquainted in L.A., and reconnecting with her friends. Shes in the process of finding her footing in this town that she knew so well, but shes been out of, for so long. Im happy to say that shes done well for herself. Id hate to see her starting from a low point again. Im happy that shes starting from a place of security. But she still has some unfinished demons that she has to contend with, and a past that she has to handle. That, I believe, is going to be her process, throughout the season, along with some other things.

Is she coming back, as a result of her own choosing?

MOENNIG: Yes, she made the choice to come back. It was conscious choice that shes coming back. L.A., to Shane, is her safety net.

Will we also see you interacting with some of the new characters?

MOENNIG: Yeah. The three of us are each involved with a number of these characters, in our own way and for different reasons. Some are already established, and some arent. In that regard, its a matter of us learning from each other. Some are work-related, and some are not. Its like life. You come across all of these different personalities, and you see how they interact and what trouble they get up to. There are some good recurring characters. Im hoping that, at some point, some of the older characters from our show will be back, as well. I hope. Theres a playing field for a lot to be explored and discussed.

Are Shanes biggest issues still coming from relationship drama, or has she figured that out more?

MOENNIG: Maybe. As you get older, your stakes raise more. Shes no longer the lost 20-something, whos able to fly by, on the seat of her pants. She has stakes now. The challenge for her is, can she rise to the occasion?

Image via Showtime

A show like this will have two different audiences, the audience that loved the original show and that wants to see what the original characters are up to, and youll have a whole new audience that doesnt have that history. How does the new cast fit in, and what are you most excited about, as far as the new characters?

MOENNIG: Im curious just to see what this newer generation does. There are two generations. The younger generation has a sensibility thats different than our generation. What Im curious about is to see how that gets translated on screen. Thats the beauty of evolution. People just become more and more advanced with their either emotional life, and the way they identify with themselves. Im curious to see how much of that is explored.

Are there things that you appreciate about Shane now, that you maybe didnt realize before?

MOENNIG: I appreciate her having fun cause I think she needs to have some fun. Shes a heavy soul, so I appreciate her having fun, and I also appreciate her wisdom. What I mostly appreciate is her hustler mentality and how she gets things done. I can appreciate that happening, as shes getting older, as well. Thats more interesting to see, as you get older. She hasnt let go of those qualities. Shes still fun at heart.

Have you thought about directing an episode of the show?

MOENNIG: I have thought about that. Maybe in the next season or two, Id be curious to direct an episode. I think I could do it. Ive done enough television to understand how to do it. When I read something, I see it in my brain, so the thought of then putting it in the way my brain sees it and collaborating, in that way, excites me more than I think it ever has, in the past. I never thought I would be interested and Ive always said no, but recently I thought, You know what? I actually would enjoy that. Right now, I wanna focus on my work, but once that becomes more familial, which only happens with time, thats when Ill stick my foot in and beg to direct an episode, if theyll let me.

Image via Showtime

What do you enjoy about working with Jennifer Beals and Leisha Hailey?

MOENNIG: Theyre my family. Ive known then for 17 or 18 years. Ive known them for a really long time. Theyre my family, and theres nothing better. Theres a shorthand that the three of us have, and its only gotten stronger with time. I value those two. Theres just a synergy with us. We all approach it from the same place, so we can hold each other up. If we see something differently, it will only add to the work. Theyre wonderful scene partners. They really are.

Are you hoping to continue this series for more seasons? Is there still more to explore?

MOENNIG: I think theres more to explore, yeah. I could be wrong, but I dont see this series being just eight episodes. I think theres a lot to explore, and I believe thats the intention of everyone involved. The television landscape is hungry for that, and Im happy to be a part of that.

The L Word: Generation Q airs on Sunday nights on Showtime.

See original here:
Katherine Moennig on The L Word: Generation Q and Directing an Episode - Collider.com

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor at Cannes.

Once, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe were synonymous with fashion but it is the last decade that acquainted us with a fresher, more contemporary school of thought. 2010 to 2019 offered a never-ending list of trends - some we loved, others not so much. From Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's purple lips to Lady Gaga's meat dress to Sonam Kapoor's impressive styling, these last 10 years witnessed some big fashion moments. If there's one thing that we are thankful for, it is the evolution of the style scene in the decade gone by. From the dominance of Bollywood stars on international red carpets to embracing inclusiveness (Pregnant models on the ramp? Yes, please), the fashion industry has changed and grown. So, as the decade ends, let's take a look at 10 fashion moments to remember 2010-2019 by.

Ooh La La, Desi Girls At Cannes

The red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival is one of the most glamorous in the world of showbiz. In fact, there's often grumbling about how the fashion threatens to overshadow the cinema at Cannes. In this tour de force of big gowns and big jewels, how is a desi girl to stand out? By packing a saree in her suitcase, of course. Over the decade, Indian stars attending Cannes discovered that the surest way to make a splash was to wear an Indian outfit - Vidya Balan, who was a jury member in 2013, wore nothing else, appearing in a series of Sabyasachi ensembles including maroon outfit with a heavily embroidered black dupatta and a white and gold saree. Cannes veteran Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has also picked sarees on several occasions, memorably an Abu-Sandeep drape she wore with a jacket the year she attended the film festival after giving birth to daughter Aaradhya. Sonam Kapoor, known for her fashion forwardness, took the saree look a notch higher in an Anamika Khanna saree and jacket with a nose ring as well as a metallic blue structured ensemble by Rimzim Dadu. She also picked saree-inspired gowns by Anamika Khanna for the red carpet.

Vidya Balan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor at Cannes.

Looks That Went Viral

The Internet never forgets and this list would have been incomplete without discussing the looks - good, bad and just plain ugly - that the collective online memory will remember forever. Remember when the Internet couldn't 'mauve' on (pun intended) from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's purple lips at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival? The Guru actress, rarely one to take a fashion risk, surprised us with startling lips that supplied Twitter with a lifetime of memes. Also unforgettable was Angeline Jolie's exposed right leg at the 2012 Oscars. Angelina's Atelier Versace dress was a hit but it was her leg, freed by a thigh-high slit and shown off by the actress' clearly deliberate limb-exposing pose, that stole the show, so much so that special fan pages and Twitter accounts dedicated to Angelina's right leg were created on social media. If we had to crown one person the queen of viral looks, it would be Priyanka Chopra who not only made a Google end-of-year list for her Oscar dress but also gave us back-to-back meme inspiring Met Gala appearances. In 2016, Priyanka's white Zuhair Murad gown was the seventh most-searched Oscar dress. The next year, she wore a Ralph Lauren trench gown to the Met Gala, which Twitter compared to Aladdin's carpet, malai in a cup of tea, a tent and what not. But that didn't stop the Quantico actress from experimenting with her look at subsequent Met Galas. In 2019, Priyanka went with a futuristic Dior gown styled with an Afro and dramatic make-up in keeping with the theme 'Camp: Notes On Fashion.' Mostly lauded for sartorial choices, Sonam Kapoor was, for once, on the receiving end of mixed reactions to her Elie Saab feathered dress that she wore to the screening of Inside Out at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015.

Here are a few looks that went viral.

Priyanka Chopra And Deepika Padukone's Global Domination

This was the decade that Priyanka and Deepika took the world by storm. The former starred in her own American network show, Quantico, following it up with a villainous turn in the Baywatch movie opposite Dwayne Johnson; the latter made her Hollywood debut in Vin Diesel's xXx: The Return Of Xander Cage. With these international projects came international red carpet appearances. Both Priyanka and Deepika appeared at the Met Gala and the Cannes Film Festival. Priyanka showed up at the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys. Deepika was invited to Oscar after-parties and the MTV EMAs in 2016; she also travelled the world attending xXxpremieres in one show-stopping dress after another.

Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone at Met Gala 2019.

Bollywood Sets Fashion Trends

When it comes to filmy fashion, history will be much kinder to 2010-2019 than it was to the Eighties or Nineties. This was the decade that gave us films which offered some steal-worthy, rather than cringeworthy, looks. Aisha, Student Of The Year 2 and Veere Di Wedding spring to mind. Across the world, Sex And The City 2 was continuing OG fashion influencer Carrie Bradshaw's style revolution - in Bollywood, Sonam Kapoor and gang were doing their best to make films that served up entertainment with a side of fashion inspo. In 2010, the same year that Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte went to Abu Dhabi, Sonam Kapoor gave us a film that can be best described as every fashionista's dream come true - Aisha. Action Replayy (2010) and Bombay Velvet (2014) redefined retro fashion. Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013), Student Of The Year (2012) and Veere Di Wedding gave us fashion goals for the wedding season.

Aisha and Sex And The City 2 gave us major fashion goals.

Baby Bumps On Runways

This fashion moment was empowering in every sense. Mothers-to-be took over fashion ramps and were a sheer delight to watch and learn from. Kareena Kapoor, pregnant with Taimur, walked the ramp in an embellished Sabyasachi Mukherjee lehenga in 2016. Supermodel Carol Gracias and TV star Shweta Salve also took catwalks by storm. In 2018, Neha Dhupia walked the ramp for fashion designer Payal Singhal's show at the Lakme Fashion Week, where she was accompanied by her husband Angad Bedi.

When pregnant Kareena Kapoor, Shweta Salve and Carol Gracias walked the ramps.

Lady Gaga's Fashion Renaissance

If there's one thing that changed over these last 10 years, it is Lady Gaga's sense of style. The singer began the decade in looks that turned the octane up from flamboyant to outrageous to outright shocking - meat dress, check. Then, after peak Gaga mid-decade, she switched downwards from outre to elegant, finally showing up the 2019 Oscars in a relatively conventional Hedi Slimane ballgown in black. Do we like it? We think the Poker Face hitmaker looks great whatever she wears - sometimes, though, we do miss the ghost of Gaga past.

The evolution of Lady Gaga's style.

A New Style: The Rise Of Airport And Gym Looks

It is almost impossible to scroll down your social media feed without chancing upon a celebrity's picture, right? Some at gyms, some at the airport and some pictures are just plain old selfies. In the last decade, the rise of airport and gym looks has been quite a thing, a function partly of social media and partly of paparazzi culture. Conscious of cameras wherever they went, celebrities began paying special attention to their off-duty style. From trackpants, jumpsuits, tracksuits and oversized tees, the airport looks scream practicality and we love it. Let Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor (despite a self-professed disdain for the 'airport look'), Anushka Sharma and other stars be your guides to nailing comfort yet stylish dressing for travel. Also, leave it to Bollywood stars to make gym outfits look photoshoot-worthy with a collection of tank tops, track pants, cycling shorts, ponytails and quirky sneakers. Nobody gets the gym look better than Malaika Arora, Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan.

Some airport and gym looks that we loved.

Celebrity Clothing Brands

Perhaps a natural fallout of the airport and gym looks becoming fashion standard was that celebs realised that giving people that opportunity to dress like them IRL was a business opportunity that would fly. They went from fashion muses to fashion icons to, yes, fashion entrepreneurs; in the last ten years, several Bollywood stars started their own clothing and beauty lines - sisters Sonam and Rhea Kapoor launched Rheson in 2017, Deepika Padukone started her apparel label All About You in 2015, Anushka Sharma came up with Nush in 2017 and Katrina Kaif started her cosmetic and beauty line Kay By Katrina in 2019. Hrithik Roshan has an activewear label called HRX and Shahid Kapoor runs the fashion label Skult. Bipasha Basu started a line called Trunk Label.

Anushka Sharma in Nush and Sonam Kapoor in a Reason outfit.

Blurred Fashion Lines

If 10 years ago, we told you that a top male star had showed up at an award show wearing a skirt, you would probably laugh it off as a joke. But times changed and so did fashion, with more than a little help from Ranveer Singh who has worn everything from a septum ring on a magazine cover to skirts on red carpets to a high ponytail at an award show. Gender-neutral power dressing is slowly becoming the new normal, with actresses showing up in tuxedos and suits at big ticket events with increasing frequency. Lady Gaga's done it, so has Sonam Kapoor and so have any number of other stars. May their tribe live long and prosper.

Ranveer Singh and Sonam Kapoor embraced androgynous fashion and how.

Hair: The Long And The Short Of It

Style experiments were not confined to celebs' outfits. Over the last few years, Bollywood stars experimented with their hairdos and how. How can we forget Anushka Sharma's pixie hair in the 2014 film PK or her wild curls in the 2018 blockbuster Sanju? In real life too, Anushka sported a lob and she looked simply fab. Even Deepika Padukone, known for her voluminous tresses, took a short cut this year. Katrina Kaif's red hair all but overshadowed her outfits at her sole Cannes appearance in 2015. And there's no mentioning hair without naming chameleon Kangana Ranaut, who shuttles between curly and sleek with clockwork regularity.

Bollywood stars experimented with their hair.

Bonus: That One Perfect Red Carpet Moment

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has a hit-and-miss equation with fashion, more miss than hit, it must be said. However, in 2014, she gifted us a standout red carpet look at the Cannes Film Festival, redeeming years of fashion fails in a gold mermaid gown by Roberto Cavalli, accessorised with coral lips and va-va-voom hair. In short, she slayed. All is forgiven, Aishwarya - if there is a fashion moment that sums the decade up, it is this.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's 2014 Cannes look.

That's all, folks. See you in 2020.

More:
Top 10 Fashion Moments Of The Decade, From Sarees At Cannes To Baby Bumps On Ramps - NDTV News

The increasing obesity level and rising concern for health have occupied the minds of consumers. People have become conscious about their eating habits fueling the demand for healthy foods. Majority of the population across the globe opts for food products with fewer calories but rich in essential nutrients and vitamins. One such product is fruit and vegetable seeds which have procured the acceptance among the consumers due to their dense nutrient content.

The evolution in the market has shepherded the development of different types of seeds such as: apple seeds, cucumber seeds, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond seeds among others. Among these melon seeds lay a pivot role due to the multi-benefit profile and easy availability contributing to the growth of global melon seeds market to an impressive extent. Currently, the demand for melon seeds have high demand in bakery, desserts, and others as it contains unsaturated fats and higher fiber content.

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Melon seeds have high demand in food processing especially for making traditional desserts. These seeds have numerous health benefits such as: boosting the immunity, normalizing blood-fat levels, weight loss and contribute to the wound healing process. The omega-3 fatty acids and rich protein content play a vital role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Apart from the health benefits, melon seeds are highly recommended in the cosmetic products due to the ability to stimulate cell growth and maintaining suppleness of skin.

The phytochemical and anti-microbial activity of the melon seeds makes them a nexus ingredient for the elimination of bacterial infection. Over the past few years, the demand for melon seeds has increased widely in the APAC mainly in: India, Japan, China, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia. The growing consumer awareness regarding the benefits from melon seeds has augmented its market value at a global level.

Some of the key players operating in theglobal melon seed marketare: Cronus Seeds, Yuksel Tohum A.S., Sakata Seed Corporation, Ahern Seeds, Limagrain, East-West Seed, Nunhems, HaZera seeds, United Genetics, Semilas Fito, Syngenta, Origene Seeds, among others.

Melon seeds offer profuse benefits be it in the healthcare, food or cosmetic sector. In the underway era of a healthy lifestyle, melon seeds have swept its way into the market. Therefore, the participants need to forge their way especially into North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific countries as it has wide applications in food, cosmetics and personal care industry.

This post was originally published on Market Research Sheets

Link:
Melon Seed Market Increasing Trends of Own Lawn and Gardens in Residential & Commercial Construction 2018 2026 - Market Research Sheets

This is the time of the year when predictions and trends in almost every sector are being made or revealed by businesses worldwide. Joining in is Travelport unveiling the 2020 Trends that will shape travel experiences at the start of the next decade.

The independent research carried out among global travellers, travel professionals and brands leaders revealed among the trends impacting online travel are the rise of the environment travellers, demand for more self-service options, superapps domination and changes in retailing travel.

Here is a brief summary of the trends (view the infographic here):

Travellers are becoming more and more conscious of the environment when on the road for pleasure or business. Travelports survey finds 42% of leisure travellers make travel choices based on environmental factors, while 55% of business travellers choose eco-friendly travel options.

Travellers are moving towards self-service options with 55% of those surveyed preferring to hear about travel disruption via digital communications rather than speak with a person on the phone. This trend is prevalent among Gen Z (born between 1996-2010), deemed the future business traveller in the report, who manage their high expectations through technology.

Superapps give users a one-stop shop to communicate, shop online, book travel, bank, find a date, order food and pay for anything within a single, unified smartphone app. They are well established in South-east Asia with tech giants WeChat, Grab and Gojek leading the way in providing their customers with the all-in-one app.

According to Travelport, superapps are spreading west from their established base in South-east Asia. Travel brands that want to deliver holistic mobile customer experiences have to think about how they engage travellers within these apps and in their own mobile channels, advised the technology company.

The research find that 2020 will see an accelerated rate of change in the way travel is retailed and purchased online. This includes wider and more complex multi-content reach, more enriched and comparable offerings, more focus on relevance than magnitude and increase in automation that enables customer self-service.

These insights into the forces which will shape travel experiences as we start a new decade show were seeing rapid change in content retailing particularly online and an evolution of mobile travel as we all increasingly depend on our devices to help us navigate the world, commented Fiona Shanley, chief customer and marketing officer at Travelport .

Its clear to see customers are driving change across the travel industry with new topics, such as the environmental impact of travel and when an agency could successfully employ a bot, showing the 2020s will be another era of rapid change for travel.

Featured image credit: hanohiki/Getty Images

Read the rest here:
These are the trends that will shape travel experiences in the next decade - Web In Travel

Its the end of the decade and were looking back at what games we loved the most. Ive compiled a list of my 10 favorite games of the last 10 years. Since lists are always divisive by nature, I feel compelled to say that I formed my list by using a very simple metric: What 10 games did I love playing the most?

That means my list may not be the most diverse one youll see, but its 100% honest. I didnt throw in games for genres I dont play just to tick off a box, I picked what I enjoyed. That being said, there is nothing wrong with a little healthy disagreement should you choose to engage with us.

The original Super Mario Galaxy was everything I wanted in a Mario game. As someone who didnt love Super Mario Sunshine as much as most, I wanted a game that took Mario to a variety of locations, utilized the power ups (new and old) in creative ways, and recaptured some of that pure Nintendo fun I felt was missing from Sunshine. Galaxy delivered all that and became my favorite Mario game at the time.

Super Mario Galaxy 2, released in 2010, initially gave off a Lost Levels vibe. It was the sequel to a smash where the gameplay and aesthetic stay the same. It was the subtle changes, along with one major addition, that made this game surpass the original.

Galaxys main issue was that the levels were scattered inside the hub area, meaning you had to go to different areas to play different levels. G2 streamlined this with Starship Mario, an intentionally concise hub planet where you could travel to whichever planet you wanted by interacting with the starship steering wheel. The levels were displayed on a grid (Much like Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS). The ability to dive into any of the planets I had discovered immediately was a massive time saver. Some were disappointed there was less to do as far as hub world exploration went, but I care about the levels themselves, and this game trims all the fat and gets right down to it.

While Galaxy had an elaborate (for a Mario game) plot, Shigeru Miyamoto specifically wanted Galaxy 2 to have as little story as possible. I mean, this is why the man is a genius. Fun trumps everything. Get out of my way and let me play.

The main difference between 1 and 2 was the addition of Yoshi, whose moves and controls were actually better suited and easier to handle using the Wiimote and Nunchuk.When I look back at some of my favorite games of the Nintendo Wii, I often forget how much of a nuisance motion controls were. Donkey Kong Country Returns was an exceptional game, but going back to it I was unable to tolerate the shaking and the waggling. The Mario Galaxy games were always the exception (unless you count pointing the Wiimote at the screen to collect Star Bits, because I always hated that little bit of business).

Are there better overall Mario games? Yes. Are there more groundbreaking Mario games? Yes. So why is Galaxy 2 my favorite Mario game of the decade? Its the one I had the most fun playing. I consulted the metric, and that checks out.

Honorable Mention: Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World

What started out as a Flash game turned into a bona fide indie smash. These days the indie game market is flooded with rogue-lite, procedurally generated titles, but Isaac is my all time favorite of the genre, and is in my top 3 favorite games of all time.

What drew me to this title was the look. It is heavily inspired by the dungeon layout of the original The Legend of Zelda title, so to me this was like playing a Zelda dungeon generator. A never ending supply of fresh gameplay perfection.

Through the years the game has received multiple updates, subtitle changes, added items and challenges. The greatest feature of this game is its ability to force you to use your judgment, make choices, and learn through experience how to become a better player.

Isaac is the first game I wrote about here because it meant so much to me. Ive since become a rabid Edmund McMillen fan, who has the ability to make games I dont normally like, and turn them into unforgiving, tough as nails experiences that will often turn you into a sadist.

Also, I got a Platinum trophy for it, and completed every single thing the game has to offer which took meyears. And I still play it every week.

Honorable Mention: Dead Cells, Spelunky

Ni No Kuni is the perfect RPG. It has breathtaking animation from the Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli, known for the 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro. The battle system is simple, but has deep, layered functionality that you will need to master during the back end of the adventure.

You play as Oliver, a young boy who lost his mother and is dealing with the loss as best he can. You are joined on your adventure by Drippy, your doll that comes to life after your tears awaken him. He speaks in a charming Welsh accent and serves as your main sidekick. You will gain two other companions as well, Esther, the daughter of a great sage, and Swaine, a boastful petty thief.

As a kid, when RPGs were not yet popular, I used to dream of bright and vast worlds teeming with secrets to uncover. This is what my mind envisioned. A game that gives you dozens of different game play mechanics to play with should you so choose.

To this day I have never played a Pokemon game, but Ni No Kuni allows you to capture enemies, raise them, power them up, and have them fight alongside you in battle. You can control as many or as few characters and familiars as you want in battles.

The battles themselves unfold in a way that allows you to wander the play field instead of standing still like many of the RPGs at the time. I found the battles to be interesting, and when they started to become tedious, I would experiment with different weapons and attacks, which would lead to discovering new item drops and better methods of fighting.

The animation is stunning, but so is the music and the voice acting. When Ni No Kuni II released, I was disappointed that they severely scaled back the voice acting. The PS3 games use of voice acting made the game so much more immersive.

Now that Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch has been released on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, you should do yourself a favor and pick it up. You wont be sorry.

Honorable Mention: Dragon Quest XI: Echos of an Elusive Age

Slow down. Thats what I told myself when I began playing Skyrim back in 2011. I had gotten Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion when I first got a PS3 and I could not get into it. It was too confusing, too aimless. I didnt know what I was doing. I didnt know what set townsfolk off. So for Skyrim, I went slow. I took it all in.

I wound up putting over 200 hours into my initial playthrough of the game. Ive since played several other times as Ive repurchased it for PS4 and Nintendo Switch (Im a re-purchaser).

I remember finding out someone I knew played the game as much as I did. We spent hours talking about our techniques, our strategies, the funny quirks and bugs, and clever ways to exploit the game. When you have a game as huge as this, you adapt to the glitches.

As you play through the game, youll make a home for yourself, become an adept locksmith, an alchemist, a spell caster, a blacksmith, a loving (or indifferent) spouse, an intrepid explorer, and more. Seriously, the list could just keep going. Its all there for you, and you get to pick and choose which things you want to do which in my case waseverything.

Also, Im not a PC gamer, but if mods are your thing, Skyrim has got the goods.

Honorable Mention: The Witcher III: Wild Hunt

I never played a Persona game until I owned a PS Vita and was told by everyone that it wasthegame to own for the system. I got it and was instantly distraught because it wasnt what I wanted the game to be. There was too much story and not enough action. There didnt seem to be enough time in the day to do everything I wanted to do. I was intrigued by the central mystery of the game, and found the characters to be engaging, but I wondered when the little voice in the back of my brain would start asking if we were having fun yet.

Then something happened: I stopped worrying. I just made choices. I lived with what I chose and didnt live in regret for the choices I didnt make. Islowed down, the exact thing I made a conscious choice to do from the get-go when playing Skyrim, and it made me totally fall in love with this game.

The game is part murder mystery, part action RPG, part life simulator, and part surrealist fever dream. Having since gone forward and back in the series as a player, I now know the general idea of a Persona game, but having played 4 first, Im partial to it over the others, including the gorgeous5which I have not finished as of yet.

The gameplay is classic JRPG goodness, but what is really stunning is the depth of the characters, and the way they wrestling with their darker emotions. The game went places I didnt know mainstream games went. There was an emotional honesty that is missing in games where your character is usually either a paragon of virtue or an amoral jerk. Getting me to care about gaming characters is tough, but I did with these, and I never wanted to fracture relationships with people I liked.

A game this good, this different, this honest, deserves at least a look from gamers to see if it clicks for you the way it surprisingly clicked for me.

Honorable Mention: Persona 5, Tokyo Mirage Session #FE

2013? I cant believe its been this long since a new GTA game came out, although from what I hear, another one is potentially on the horizon.

I was slightly disenchanted with Rockstars fourth mainline entry in the series. It was overstuffed and excessive, and not in that good way that this series does so well. You were constantly bombarded with people vying for your attention and personally, it gave me too manyoptions. The game map was littered with so many points of interest they often overwhelmed me, especially as someone who likes to do all the side missions before the main campaign.

Luckily, the franchise got me back with V, a return to my favorite location in the series, San Andreas. Here, you are in control of three separate characters: Michael, the presumed dead FIB informant living a pretty sweet life in witness protection; Franklin, a low level criminal dissatisfied with high risk/ low reward jobs and friends who dont have his back; and Trevor, a complete and total sociopath.

The dialogue is classic GTA: over-the-top vulgar, offensive, and button pushing. It doesnt hold back in any regard, and yet, has a lot of smart things to say about how society acts (or reacts) to people they deem to be the problem. Whether its through dialogue in missions, people on the street, TV programs and commercials (that you can lose an hour just watching along with your character) and even websites, the games satire is simultaneously grandiose and realistic.

The current gen systems also got First Person mode, which allows you to turn the game into a FPS for when shit goes down. I found this to be perhaps the greatest addition to the series, as you can approach gunfights several different ways.

The graphics are stunning, the AI of NPCs is worthy of its own article, and the gameplay is pure joy (if anarchy and an unleashed id are your bag).

Honorable Mention: Yakuza 0

It wasnt the first 8 bit throwback game, it was just the one that mastered the art of making an old school game that replaces every boring tedious 8 bit game mechanic with a cool, often random, fun alternative.

The tight platforming, the level design that call to mind Mega Man and Castlevania, the pixel perfect art, and a metric ton of content make this not only a great old school game, but a great game overall.

I played it on WiiU and kept getting add on content for free. RecentlyI plunked down $24.99 for the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, which will entitle me toallthe DLC Yacht Club Games has to offer (the price as of Dec 10, 2019 is now $39.99, and is stilla deal).

Those who love an old school challenge will enjoy this game, which is tough but fair. I completed the main campaign myself, and still have most of the add on content to go through, and there is so much variety in gameplay that you are getting wholly new experiences, not reskinned characters and frivolous bells and whistles.

The team at Yacht Club Games outdid themselves, and I, for one, am looking forward to their next game, Shovel Knight Dig.

Honorable Mention: The Shantae series.

The WiiU was a commercial bust of a system. It was marketed so poorly even I had no idea what it was trying to be. Im a simple gamer when it comes to systems. I dont need it to do anything except play games (and now have streaming services). Its all about the games to me, and the WiiU hadgames. The fact most of its AAA library has been ported over to the Switch is proof of that.

When Super Mario Maker was announced it was a dream come true for me and millions of Mario fans that had always dreamed of creating their own levels. Not only that, having the WiiU pad meant you could design levels using a stylus on the screen. The controls were simple, intuitive and easy to do (and undo) anything you did.

You could instantly make the level playable at any point to see how it was in action. Make a jump impossible? Extend the floor a few blocks and have Mario try again. The game was all about experimentation and discovery. You had so many tools at your disposal, including special effects, sound effects, and clever new twists on items and enemies.

Sadly, Im not much of a level designer. I could make beautifullookinglevels (one inspired by Bubble Bobble got me the bulk of all my likes and stars), but never anything that was challenging in an inventive way. Luckily, the gaming community answered the call and created some brilliant levels. Some were good old fashioned platforming challenges, and some were Rube Goldberg contraptions, while others seemed to ape the punishing difficulty of Kaizo Mario levels.

Super Mario Maker 2 built on this, adding a Super Mario 3D World game style, a Story Mode (which is like a new Super Mario game insidea Mario Maker game), and just released DLC that allows you to create levels where you can play as Link from The Legend of Zelda, where you use your sword, shield, bombs and arrows.

I couldve chosen either games for this list, but since the original was so revolutionary I went with that one even though most people will, and should, purchase 2 since the Switch is Nintendos latest console. And SMM2 has slopes and the Angry Sun. You have no idea how much people wanted those back when the original game was out.

Honorable Mention: Super Mario Maker 2

I love the Zelda series, but even I have issues with some of the games. I found Zelda II to be ugly and lacking replayability. I found the first few hours of Twilight Princess to be an interminable slog and overly hand-holdy (despite it having my all time favorite Zelda character in it, Midna). And Skyward Swordgoodnessdid that game disappoint me in almost every way.

Breath of the Wild is a revelation. Its back to basics approach was married with open world exploration in a way that few games have been able to capture. There is literally no other game world I love exploring more than Hyrule in BotW. The world itself is gigantic. Ive played the game for hundreds of hours and there are still several areas I have barely explored.

Anyone who has played the game will know this world is teeming with things to find. You can spend a whole day searching for Korok seeds (there are 900 of them total), or looking for hidden treasure chests under ground, underwater, or in hidden caves.

Its not just about discovering items, its about encountering moments. Ive seen whirlwinds scoop up fish and rain them down like a Biblical storm of frogs. I once froze an enemy in a block of ice and watched as his buddies chipped away at it with their spears.

There is also a renewed sense of agency in the game, as you can often complete tasks and shrines (which replace the standard dungeons) in dozens of different ways. This is a game where if you can dream up a possible solution, chances are the programmers have set you up for success. Nothing is more disheartening than having a clever idea, only to discover the people behind the game either didnt plan for that, or couldnt be bothered to include it.

There is a reason these games take so long to come out. Breath of the Wild is not above criticism and small, minor complaints, but it is a masterpiece that every gamer should experience to relive the feeling of freedom wandering the world of Hyrule in a way they havent since the original 8 bit game.

Honorable Mention: Horizon Zero Dawn

Mild Spoilers Ahead

The original God of War games were a product of their time. The ultra violent, nihilistic tone was part of their charm. Im not a hand wringer when it comes to social commentary, and find the policing of art (whether its TV, movies, music or gaming) to be just as curious today as I did when I was a gamer in the late 80s and early 90s. Oddly enough, it seems like whatever side of the political spectrum you fall on, someone has an opinion about why the thing you like is bad, or problematic, or whatever buzzword armchair critics and people with a strong, aggressive Twitter presence are currently using.

Kratos, the main character of the series, has always been a bit of a lightening rod. Even someone like myself found him to be abrasive and downright unlikable at times. He went from a tortured warrior, towellan asshole.

I was not thrilled however when I heard the new game would try to evolve the character. Too often, that means reckoning with toxic masculinity or reshaping a character to fit more with standard societal norms, to which I am not opposed. However, it is often done in a clumsy, or preachy, way that extracts the heart of what made something different in the first place.

God of War (2018) is an evolution of Kratos, a brilliant, gorgeous, amazing evolution. Kratos is now older (the gray in his beard tells you this). He is a father now, to a young boy, Atreus (although more often than not he simply refers to him as Boy). He has left the world of Greek mythology behind in favor of Norse mythology. He disemboweled most of the Greek legends and gods anyway.

Where Kratos was once a perpetually enraged monster, he is now a survivalist, hell bent on teaching his son to survive in the brutal and often unkind world. He is not harsh with his son out of anger; he is that way because his son needs to learn how to survive in a world where good and evil are not always clearly defined.

The game is stunningly played out as one continuous shot beginning with the title screen. Atreus is almost always by your side, and if this gives you any apprehensions fear not, this is no escort mission where you have to protect a helpless NPC that constantly makes life hard for you. Atreus can be leveled up as well, and you can customize how he plays as well.

Many were upset when they found out Kratos uses an ax in this game, instead of his usual Blades of Chaos, but once you adapt to the mechanics of the ax, you may find that you love itmorethan the old familiar. Plus, if you dont, you return to your home midway through the game, pull up the floor boards and retrieve your beloved Blades in a scene that gave me chills when I pieced together what he was doing.

This game did indeed reckon with the bad part of Kratos, and it did it with masterful storytelling. It didnt excuse the past actions of Kratos, but it allowed him to move forward and continue to grow. He would scold his son, he would yell, but he would also listen, he allowed Atreus to express himself as well. Not to mention, there is probably no moment that better encapsulates this new Kratos than when we watch as he moves his hand slowly toward the back of his son, looking to simply comfort him, before pulling away his hand and holding back. Its not that he is withholding, or incapable of empathy, he is just trying to figure out how to love his son the best way he knows how. Its powerful and its real, and it honestly moved me in a way few games ever have.

Thats all she wrote, kiddos. The 2010s are over, and the 20s are upon us. What did you think of my list? Are you upset I had no XBox or 3DS titles on it? Where were the sports games, or real time strategy games? Lets talk about it.

Plus, whats better than one list? Two lists! Our own Collin Henderson will be revealing his top 10 list soon as well. Then the debates can truly begin!

Help us keep the conversation alive! We publish new content daily that can easily be found by following us onTwitter,Instagram, by joining ourFacebook Page, or becoming an email subscriber here onthe site. Thank you as always for your support of 25YL!

If you would like to write for 25YL leave us a message on our websitehereor send an email to: andrew@25YearsLaterSite.com

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Editor's Choice: Johnny's 10 Favorite Games of the Decade - 25YearsLaterSite.com

Sen. Cory Booker is down in the 2020 polls and yet has long seemed poised for a breakout moment. He is more qualified than some frontrunners, quite popular among Democratic activists, and the last black candidate with a decent shot after Sen. Kamala Harriss withdrawal. Hes an acceptable choice to many people across the partys big ideological divide.

Hes also been somewhat difficult to peg on the ideological spectrum. Slates Jordan Weissman, who plans to vote for either Sens. Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, recently called him the best moderate in the field. But is calling him a moderate right? Its true that Booker has a record of centrism on some economic issues, particularly relating to education and finance, but he also co-sponsored the Green New Deal resolution. Hes the most progressive candidate in the field on criminal justice, and a vegan who recently proposed legislation aimed at shuttering factory farms.

I decided to call up Booker and find out what he really believes. But instead of talking about policy specifics, I engaged Booker on his big-picture view of the world. Does he think liberal democracy is under threat in America? What does he make of the rise of socialism on the American left? Are critics right that Democrats are focusing on identity politics too much? How does his veganism fit into his broader worldview?

Booker described a vision centered on the political value of justice, drawing on both Jesse Jacksons 1988 presidential run and Obamas 2008 victory as models. Booker emphasized what he terms the intersectionality of all life: the idea that humans of all backgrounds, as well as non-human animals, are bound up in webs of mutual interdependence.

We share a common destiny, Booker says. You cannot have one sector of our country held down without the whole country being lowered as a result.

What follows is a transcript of our conversation, which ranges from problems of short-termism in American capitalism to W.E.B. DuBoiss psychological wage to philosopher Peter Singers theory of the expanding moral circle. Its been edited for length and clarity.

I want to start with a question thats been bothering me for a while: Can we talk about the GOP as a party thats committed to core basic values like democracy, individual rights, and the rule of law?

I have been very confused by the modern Republican Party, especially now in the time of Donald Trump, where a lot of the values that they speak to seem to be being butchered by the policies that are coming out, and even the rhetoric now thats coming out. It is very difficult for me to even think of the Republican Party as having any kind of governing philosophy that is informing policy and decisions, when in the time of Trump, it just seems to be more transactional and corrupted by the interests of large concentrations of wealth.

The problem is that this kind of thing tends toward some kind of autocratization, right? Look at a country like Hungary, where you have institutionalized corruption as a means of propping up a ruling elite. How should we think about similar threats to American democracy?

I have deep, deep concerns about the shifting toward oligarchic power, especially after decisions like Citizens United that are allowing even more exertion of power and corruption within our political system. We see that these corrupting forces are already having a pretty significant effect on our democracy.

The powerful corporate interests now are actually undermining the very ideals of capitalism and entrepreneurship. New business starts are going down in our country; short-termism within our [economy] is allowing forces of greed to even undermine the interests of capital allocation.

We have now seen an economy where someone who is being born now has less of a chance to make it. Ninety percent of baby boomers did better economically than their parents. Now its down to 50-50 for a millennial.

So can you see why a lot of people in my generation are starting to become more sympathetic to socialism?

Gosh, I know that and we could discuss the word socialism if you want.

As a guy that lives in a black and brown community, the framing from my culture and my community is just one of justice.

From my perspective, one of the biggest economic instruments of suppression in our country has been the criminal justice system that Michelle Alexander rightfully calls the new Jim Crow. Blacks are stunningly disempowered in the electoral system. And voting rights and criminal justice issues, all of these things are also wound into economic rights. Villanova researchers did a study about America having 20 percent less poverty [had mass incarceration not occurred].

These are justice issues [more] than the issues that often are bandied about by political elites.

These are issues of economic justice, of environmental injustice, of criminal injustice, of equal access to health care, to education, disparate treatment in everything from school discipline to hiring practices in this country.

This justice framing is really interesting to me, especially as a counterpoint to language like socialism. It seems to sidestep or play into depending on who youre talking to a style of politics thats been derisively referred to as identity politics by critics on both the left and the right.

What do you make of the discourse surrounding identity politics and its role in the current Democratic coalition?

My talking about justice is not in any way a politics of identity. Its a politics of trying to create again this understanding that were all in this together that you cannot have a nation thats [divided] along racial lines and think that you are going to have a nation of strength economically, morally, and competitively on a global context. Were a nation that does best when we tear down walls of division or inequity and build larger coalitions.

The Democratic Party is a party that does best when it revives what Jesse Jackson called the Rainbow Coalition, what many people now call the Obama Coalition.

So you reject the argument that focusing on and highlighting the marginalization of minority groups is divisive in any way? Because a lot of the critics say, Well, you cant have the shared politics of national unity that youre describing so long as you continue to talk about specific groups through the lens of their particular, non-universal experiences.

Well, I think that the capacity of our country to understand that addressing injustice and inequity in certain racial groups is a national cause. I just think we underestimate that, and our history speaks to a different understanding. You had the abolitionist movement based upon this ideal that the dignity and humanity of black Americans who were slaves cannot be denied without it somehow affecting the humanity of white Americans. You had incredible sacrifices by Quakers who were willing to put their very lives at risk to help build coalitions with black slaves and escaped slaves to build the Underground Railroad.

Were not defined by the wretchedness and bigotry and hate that weve seen in every chapter of our politics. We are always defined, I think, by the willingness and ability of our country to create coalitions to overcome that. I think that you do not make this a better America when you try to sweep injustices, whether they be racial or religious injustices or gender-based injustice, under the rug. I think you actually weaken America when you dont speak to that truth.

I think a lot about W.E.B. Du Boiss concept of the psychological wage of whiteness. You know, the theory that people derive psychological satisfaction and benefits from being members of the dominant group. How do you deal with that as a problem out there among the electorate? Or do you think thats the wrong way to think about things?

I think its just too simplistic of a description of our society as a whole. It seals people within permanent boxes of judgment, as opposed to understanding that we are all people in evolution.

You and I, right now, are two men having this conversation. [One could] say the totality of our being is binary, either we are sexist or we are not. Thats opposed to recognizing that you and I must wrestle with the sexism that is within the larger society consistently, or we are contributing to it, or complacent in the face of it.

People are not binary. People are all always in development, always in struggle. We are a nation always struggling to manifest the best of our ideals.

[House representative and civil rights icon] John Lewis once told me the story of a man who actually beat him up during the civil rights movement coming to his office with his child and asking him for forgiveness. Lewis told me that he did so, and how important it is to extend to people forgiveness in a recognition of their humanity and their ability when they are willing to own up to their injustice, their ability to grow and how, in many ways, his humanity and that mans humanity were interwoven and interdependent.

This is why I caution the Democratic Party, who wants to put every Trump voter in some kind of binary box and cast a condemnation upon them, as opposed to recognizing not just their dignity and humanity, but how our well-being as a country is interdependent, and how we need each other. As we descend as a culture into deeper and deeper tribalism, where we hate each other just because we vote differently, that in itself could be our demise unless we start finding ways to reignite in our culture those ideals of grace and forgiveness and truth telling. That is ultimately the pathway for our salvation.

When you talk about that, I actually think of a concept developed by one of your constituents, the Princeton philosopher Peter Singer and his idea of the expanding moral circle, that over the course of time we can open and broaden our minds through moral improvement as not just individuals, but as a collective, to giving status and standing to different groups.

Now, youre a vegan. Do you think, as Singer does, that the next frontier in our fight for equality is the moral status of animals and improving them on a social level?

Your animal question is so ... God, I would love to do a whole [interview] on this.

I dont think people understand how destructive corporate multinational animal agriculture is to our environment. Its the main reason for rainforest destruction and the poisoning of our water systems. The way we are doing it is so divorced from our heritage of animal agriculture in this country.

Its not just these massive CAFOs [concentrated animal feeding operations, a.k.a. factory farms] and the treatment of animals, which would shock the [conscience] of anybody in our country. But its also our own survival as a species being deeply compromised by the way that animal agriculture has now evolved into corporate culture, affecting everything from fast fashion all the way to the corporate monopolies that are driving down relative wages in this country.

I believe that our food systems can be made more robust, that farmers can be the pathway out of climate crisis that theres so many ways to do this right that can elevate human well-being with a consciousness toward our treatment of animals and our treatment of the environment as a whole.

There are two issues here that are sort of connected because theyre about the moral frontiers of our politics. One is about the way that we treat each other and the way that hostile partisanship has taken hold over our minds, and the other about how we can expand our circle of moral concern to nonhuman animals.

What can we do concretely as a polity to deal with these kinds of issues of moral status and consideration for each other and other beings? Is it just a rhetorical thing? From our leaders, I mean, not just civic organizations. Or are there policies that can change the very way that we think about our moral world?

Its not either-or, its all of the above. Ive seen this on multiple occasions: The more we know, the better we do.

[Think of] the concept of bycatch in the world of fishing, these massive nets picking, killing, and casting back into the sea 50 percent of what they pick up. The CAFOs right now in places like Duplin County [in North Carolina], which are causing out-of-control respiratory diseases and cancers in low-income communities. I mean, the more we know, the more these practices are exposed, the better we will do. So yeah, leaders that can help to expand understanding are often the leaders that help better motivate change.

I just think that all of the things that you talked about really keep speaking towards not just the intersectionality of humans, but the intersectionality of every aspect of our planet. If we are going to sustain ourselves as a species and this is both our economic prosperity as well as our very lives and existence we have to start having policies that are far more conscious to that intersectionality of life itself.

More here:
Cory Booker on socialism, identity politics, and animal rights - Vox.com

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 12: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens drops back ... [+] to pass against the defense of the New York Jets during the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 12, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

There is an undeniable exhilaration in watching Lamar Jackson play quarterback.

Part of it is the human response to observing someone expressing themselves so completely in their work: his amazing speed and elusiveness; his unconventional but increasingly deadly throwing ability; his irrepressable competitiveness and joy.

But its also more than that. Maybe watching Jackson and the juggernaut Ravens power through their 10-game winning streak and lead the NFL in scoring is seeing a once unsolveable riddle answered with dumbfounding simplicity.

What kind of player is the ideal quarterback?

Hes the best athlete on the field.

Its that phrasing analysts have used to explain how the likely 2019 NFL MVP overcomes the defenses ability to set the edge or pressure up the middle. They say it knowing even casual fans understand how unusual it is that the teams best athete is also the one commanding the huddle and calling out the signals.

Usually, the honor is reserved for the wide receiver Jackson would be throwing to, the cornerback who is covering, or the running back who sold the fake handoff to set up the playaction pass.

But why shouldnt the quarterback be that gifted? Doesnt that make sense? Is it really so revolutionary that the Ravens have taken the most important position on their roster and filled it with a player who possesses the most all-around athletic talent? Isnt that how it goes in pretty much all other sports?

In a word: Duh!

Jackson and the Ravens may be giving football fans, coaches and talent evaluators that feeling of sudden, earth-shattering clarity when a seemingly obvious truth reveals itself. Its like when your friend who always struggled at dating comes out of the closet, or when your mom reveals your misfit brother is adopted.

As mentioned already, football is pretty much alone in pushing its superior athletes away from the games seminal position, beginning in Pop Warner and continuing all the way through the pros.

Youd be hard pressed to find any player in MLB who didnt spend a considerable stretch of his youth career pitching or playing catcher, shortstop or center field. Those who can catch, play short or center at a big league level stay there. Those who cant but can still hit big league pitching get moved to the corner infield or outfield spots.

In soccer and hockey, those capable of combining technical and athletic talent get to touch the ball or puck most often. Those who have a deficit in one or the other are more often asked to defend.

And in the NBA, the combo guard/forward is most coveted the player with enough elusiveness to create and convert his own shot, and enough vision to set up someone elses. Think MVPs of the last decade: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Essentially, Jackson is footballs answer to the combo guard, a runner and passer of equal aplomb who sees what the defense defends and then attacks the opposite. And its impossible to believe hes the only person who has ever possessed that skillset who wanted to play quarterback. Michael Vick already did so at the NFL level, but wasnt fortunate enough to have a team construct its offense around his stengths.

But most players of that profile havent been afforded the opportunity, for any number of reasons. Theres the evolution of quarterback as an increasingly important position over time, conscious and subconscious racist beliefs about the intelligence of black players, rational and irrational fears over a mobile quarterbacks health, and the lack of margin for error in a season with so few games.

With Jacksons arrival, we may be seeing the destruction of all of those arguments, and in their place the construction of a new paradigm, that footballs best athletes should be groomed for the sports most important position. It all sounds so simple. Exhilaratingly so.

Originally posted here:
Lamar Jackson Is The Best Athlete On The Field Oddly, Thats Revolutionary - Forbes

Stunning! is the first word that comes to mind when walking into Richard D. Weis exhibit at the stART Space gallery in Manchester.

The color and light of his gestural paintings fill the space. Weis fascination with Asian brush drawing, which is evident in the exhibit, goes back to his time as a student in Bemidji, Minnesota where he grew up and also attended university. The 29 works on display for the first time are the result of his life-long commitment to the study of various painting techniques, from the Old Masters to his most recent experiments with new media.

Figure: Dancing with Matisse and Wanna Dance? are both works that burst with movement. The Matisse piece makes reference to the cutout shapes that Matisse used in his later work, and although quite abstracted, the sense of a colorful dancing figure fills the canvas. Wanna Dance? was inspired by watching a couple at a Stone Valley Arts event. The bold red and black have a Spanish feel and give the impression of a Spanish dancer with romantic veils and a swirling skirt.

Northwest Passage, with its deep hues of various shades of blue, has a feeling of broad, open water. Diagonal strokes of red punctuate the painting and set up a dialogue with terse strokes of a rich primary yellow, providing an unexpected zing. Its an unusually textured composition, and Weis talks about painting over canvases that hes not entirely happy with. In this case, the hidden underlying forms really serve to enhance the piece.

Weis sometimes breaks his paintings up into grids, as in Border Crossings: Undercurrent and Unbound. The latter is a composition of six canvases that combine painting and collage. Bold brush strokes in black, purple and yellow combine with torn swatches of newspaper in an intriguing study of patterns. A red circle integrated into the painting is actually Weis name in Korean. In 2003, Weis spent six months in Daejon, South Korea at Hannam University, which gave him time to reassess his work and to explore his lifelong love of brush painting.

Weis drew the title of the exhibit Beyond Words from his favorite poet, Auden, who wrote, to discover what it is to be human now is the reason we follow this star. For Weis, painting is the way to express what is most difficult to verbalize. His daily practice of painting attests to his deep commitment to the process of making art, and following his own star.

When I visited his studio on the top floor of the 1906 Journal Press Building in Poultney, I was struck by the sheer number of canvases, ranging from smallish to over six feet in height. Weis is a complex, and very honest artist who is constantly experimenting and attempting to keep the work fresh. He talks about painting being a trace of the journey that the painter has gone through to produce the work an essentially mysterious process. I ask him some questions about his artistic practice in creating the works that now form the Beyond Words exhibit.

B.A.: What criteria did you use when choosing the works for this show? I know that youve said that most of them had never been shown before.

R.W.: Hmmm great question. The works in this show are just a small part of what I have done in the past 18 months, and I wanted the show to be mostly of new work that has not been exhibited before. My basic process is to set a lot of work out in the studio all at once and see how they talk to each other.

The quality and interactive coherence of the works is of importance. I consider the exhibit itself a work of art in a way, and I want the exhibition to have a life that goes beyond individual pieces.

B.A.: What have been the major influences on your work? What was the effect of your Fulbright at Hannam University in South Korea on your evolution as an artist?

R.W: I had very little exposure to art or artists as a child in northern Minnesota. My greatest influence was Keith Malmquist, my junior high art teacher. After serving a stint in the army he went off to study with Josef Albers and returned to teach at Bemidji State College where he introduced me to the Bauhaus, color theory, and artists like Kandinsky and Paul Klee. Later, living in Washington D.C., I haunted the Rembrandt room in the National Gallery, reexamined my early interest in Asian brush painting, and discovered artists like Robert Irwin. I am intrigued by the way different artists think, the variety of ways people perceive the world and express their thoughts in visual terms.

During my Fulbright in South Korea, I arranged meetings and studio visits with about 75 Korean artists. Many of these artists had been to the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont and we had a lot of fantastic discussions. Even though the work was quite diverse, I began to see that there was a cultural underpinning, or foundation in their work that was reflected in their heightened sensitivity to the qualities of the materials they were using. I came back with a renewed sense of the important relationship between craftsmanship and expressive form.

B.A.: Why do you involve yourself in every step of the process, choosing a particular weave of canvas, stretching it, making frames, etc.?

R.W: It started simply when, as a young artist I didnt have the resources to buy ready-made materials, so I learned to make the most of what I did have available. The materials themselves sometimes suggested avenues of exploration. I began to really appreciate how the artists understanding of materials, at all levels, related to the expressive quality of the work. Being conscious of ones materials, their potential and limitations, is important.

B.A.: You taught for 21 years at Green Mountain College. What is the relationship between teaching and your own art practice?

R.W.: The strongest relationship between teaching and my own practice is what I learned from the students. Each day we were together, talking the game, talking about art and what we were doing. This forced me to reevaluate my own practice on a regular basis. I really liked teaching in the liberal arts program, working with students with a variety of interests who were coming from a variety of backgrounds. The broadened insight I gained from this was helpful in my own work.

B.A.: Do you have a favorite medium? Is it difficult to combine different media as you do in many of your works?

R.W.: Each medium has potentials and limitations that others do not have, so what is my favorite probably depends upon what I am working with at the time. I switched to acrylic for much of my work because of the health dangers of traditional solvents. I do still use oils on occasion, but am exploring the new water-cleanup oil mediums. For drawing, I really like ink/wash drawing using bamboo sticks as a drawing tool. Sometimes I combine media so I can make the most of the unique qualities each media provides.

B.A.: I notice titles like Present Tense, The Sorting of the Day and Morning Muse. Are these reflective of your daily painting practice and working methods?

R.W.: Sometimes I have a grand idea that has been fermenting for a long time before I actually approach it in a painting. Often though, I use what the day will give me. I am constantly trying to be aware of the world around me and use the art as an exploratory tool for things that catch my attention or shape my life on a daily basis. Sometimes these explorations, the very process, will take me places I hadnt expected, and I find that really exciting. I think of the paintings as artifacts of the journey I am taking.

Go here to see the original:
'Beyond Words': Richard D. Weis explores 'what it is to be human' - Rutland Herald