The Death of Clothing(ˈklōT͟HiNG)

By Lindsey Rupp, Chloe Whiteaker, Matt Townsend and Kim Bhasin

The apparel(əˈparəl) industry has a big problem. At a time when the economy is growing, unemployment is low, wages(wāj) are rebounding and consumers are eager(ˈēgər) to buy, Americans are spending less and less on clothing.

The woes(wō) of retailers are often blamed(blāmd) on Amazon.com Inc. and its vise(vīs) grip on e-commerce(ˈkämərs) shoppers. Consumers glued(glo͞o) to their phones would rather browse(brouz) online instead of venturing(ˈvenCHər) out to their local malls, and that’s crushed(krəSH) sales and hastened(ˈhāsən) the bankruptcies(-rəp(t)sē,ˈbaNGkˌrəp(t)sē) of brick-and-mortar(ˈmôrtər) stalwarts(ˈstôlwərt) from American Apparel to Wet(wet) Seal(sēl).

But that’s not the whole story. The apparel industry seems to have no solution to the dwindling(ˈdwindl) dollars Americans devote(diˈvōt) to their closets(ˈkläzit). Many upstarts promising(ˈpräməsiNG) to revolutionize(ˌrevəˈlo͞oSHəˌnīz) the industry drift(drift) away with barely(ˈbe(ə)rlē) a whimper(ˈ(h)wimpər). Who needs fashion(ˈfaSHən) these days when you can express(ikˈspres) yourself through social media? Why buy that pricey(ˈprīsē) new dress when you could fund a weekend getaway instead?

Apparel has simply lost its appeal. And there doesn’t seem to be a savior(ˈsāvyər) in sight. As a result, more and more apparel companies—from big-name department stores to trendy(ˈtrendē) online startups—are folding(fōld).

The ingredients(iNG-,inˈgrēdēənt) for this demise(diˈmīz) have been brewing(bro͞o) for decades(ˈdekād). In 1977, clothing accounted(əˈkount) for 6.2 percent of U.S. household spending, according to government statistics(stəˈtistiks). Four decades(ˈdekād) later, it’s plummeted(ˈpləmit) to half that.

Apparel is being displaced by travel(ˈtravəl), eating out and activities—what’s routinely(ro͞oˈtēn) lumped(ləmp) together as “experiences”(ikˈspi(ə)rēəns)—which have grown to 18 percent of purchases(ˈpərCHəs). Technology alone, including data charges(CHärj) and media content, accounts for 3.4 percent of spending. That now tops all clothing and footwear(ˈfo͝otˌwer) expenditures(ikˈspendiCHər).

Several(ˈsev(ə)rəl) reasons are behind this shift. Some are beyond the control of apparel companies, as societal(səˈsīitl) changes drove(drōv) different shopping behavior. But missteps by these companies along the way have hastened(ˈhāsən) the death of clothing.

…
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-death-of-clothing/

Unhappy Meals(mēl)

By Michael Pollan

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly(səˈpōzidlē) incredibly(inˈkredəblē) complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid) and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally(ˈmaksəməl) healthy. I hate to give away the game right here at the beginning of a long essay(īsā), and I confess(kənˈfes) that I’m tempted(tem(p)t) to complicate(ˈkämpləˌkāt) matters(ˈmatər) in the interest of keeping things going for a few thousand more words. I’ll try to resist(riˈzist) but will go ahead and add a couple more details(diˈtāl,ˈdētāl) to flesh(fleSH) out the advice(ədˈvīs). Like: A little meat won’t kill you, though it’s better approached as a side dish than as a main(mān). And you’re much better off eating whole(hōl) fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation(-ˌmen-,ˌrekəmənˈdāSHən) to eat “food.” Once, food was all you could eat, but today there are lots of other edible(ˈedəbəl) foodlike substances(ˈsəbstəns) in the supermarket. These novel products of food science(ˈsīəns) often come in packages festooned(fesˈto͞on) with health claims(klām), which brings me to a related(riˈlātid) rule(ro͞ol) of thumb(THəm): if you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid food products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product(ˈprädəkt) is a good indication that it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat.

Uh-oh. Things are suddenly(ˈsədn-lē) sounding a little more complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid), aren’t they? Sorry. But that’s how it goes as soon as you try to get to the bottom(ˈbätəm) of the whole vexing(veks) question of food and health. Before long, a dense(dens) cloud bank of confusion(kənˈfyo͞oZHən) moves in. Sooner or later, everything solid(ˈsälid) you thought you knew about the links between diet(ˈdī-it) and health gets blown(blōn) away in the gust(gəst) of the latest study.

…

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html

To Find(fīnd) Your Deeper(dēp) Purpose, Listen

By Leo Babauta

I’ve found that if we can create a connection between our daily actions and our deeper purpose in life, then each day will be incredibly(inˈkredəblē) fulfilling(fo͝olˈfiliNG).

Unfortunately(ˌənˈfôrCHənətlē) most people haven’t found their “deeper purpose” in life, and many don’t even believe they have one. That’s OK, but if you’re one of those who would like to create a more fulfilling life, I have one word of advice(ədˈvīs) for you.

Listen.

OK, I’ll have a few more words to add to that!

The way that I found my deeper purpose (and I’m still refining it every day) is by listening to what’s in my heart, as corny(ˈkôrnē) as that might sound. I listened to what I felt most deeply, what moved me, what made me feel shaky(ˈSHākē) but in awe(ô) of life.

To listen, I had to stop letting myself be distracted(disˈtraktəd). I had to create space to listen: shut off the Internet and all devices(diˈvīs), not watch TV, get away from everything else, even for a little bit. I had to create silence(ˈsīləns) and stillness, so that listening was even possible(ˈpäsəbəl).

If you create this space, this silence … notice what you feel. It won’t be obvious(ˈäbvēəs) what it means at first, but after listening for awhile, you’ll notice what you yearn(yərn) for. What gives you joy(joi), a sense of adventure(adˈvenCHər,əd-), a sense of play. What creates pain and the wish to salve(sav,säv) that pain. What you are afraid(əˈfrād) of, what fills you with doubt(dout), what makes you want to run.

Eventually you’ll get an inkling(ˈiNGkliNG): “Oh, I really love working with kids!” You won’t know what that means, but you’ll have a direction, and you’ll start to explore(ikˈsplôr) it. You’ll find a way to work with kids, and after awhile, if you keep listening, you’ll discover the parts of working with kids that moves you the most. You’ll hone(hōn) in on that. You’ll refine(riˈfīn), listen some more, and strip(strip) away the fat(fat) of that purpose, until it gets to its essence(ˈesəns). You’ll find your gift to offer to the world.

And each step along the way, you’ll be walking the path of that purpose, exploring and discovering how to best offer your gift.

…
https://zenhabits.net/listen/

Jobs(jäb) vs.(versus -səz,ˈvərsəs) Passive(ˈpasiv) Income

By Steve Pavlina

Many people have the limiting belief(biˈlēf) that passive income is weird(wi(ə)rd), unusual(ˌənˈyo͞oZHo͞oəl), complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid), or confusing. As I’ve mentioned previously, passive income isn’t particularly difficult in practice(ˈpraktəs). In many ways, earning a living through streams of passive income is easier than earning a living through a job or as an independent contractor, especially(iˈspeSHəlē) in the long run.

The difficult part has to do with getting comfortable with a passive income mindset.

To tackle(ˈtakəl) this mindset issue(ˈiSHo͞o), let’s turn this around and look at it from the other side.

Suppose you were already very comfortable with passive income, just like I am. Imagine(iˈmajən) that you had many thousands of dollars coming in every(ˈevrē) month, more than enough to cover all your expenses. Whether you work or not, fresh(freSH) income keeps flowing to you month after month and year after year, based on streams you set up years ago.

Imagine(iˈmajən) that this is your normal everyday reality(rēˈalətē). You’ve already been living like this for more than a decade(ˈdekād).

Now imagine that a friend with a regular job tries to convince you that what you’re doing is weird or unusual and that you should adopt(əˈdäpt) his mindset, give up your passive income lifestyle, and get a regular job instead.

If a job-loving friend did this with me, here’s what such a conversation(ˌkänvərˈsāSHən) might look like…

…
https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2012/05/jobs-vs-passive-income/

Crypto(ˈkriptō) analogies(əˈnaləjē)

By John(jän) Gordon

I was listening to Tim Urban(ˈərbən) on Kevin Rose’s(rōz) podcast, and he brought up the distinction that Elon Musk has made between reasoning by analogy and reasoning from first principles. It got me thinking about how analogies are used in the blockchain/crypto space.

Urban, who has spoken with and written extensively about Elon Musk on Wait But Why (if you’ve never visited his site, either bookmark it or get ready to lose an afternoon), identifies Musks’ reasoning from first principles as opposed to by analogy as one of the core elements(ˈeləmənt) of his success. One example he gave on the podcast was that everyone expects(ikˈspekt) airplanes to look like, well, airplanes, with wings and runways, while Musk has envisioned(enˈviZHən) them to look and travel(ˈtravəl) more like rockets (of course(kôrs), I guess that’s just using a space travel analogy).

In the blockchain space, the most powerful and persuasive(-ziv,pərˈswāsiv) analogy seems to be to compare today to the early days of the internet. (Or, okay, maybe tulips(ˈt(y)o͞oləp).)

Sometimes this is used to emphasize(ˈemfəˌsīz) how early we are: It’s like the internet in 1994! 1973!

Sometimes it’s used to caution(ˈkôSHən) that we’re probably(ˈpräblē,ˈpräbəblē) in a bubble(ˈbəbəl): It’s like the internet of 1999! Remember pets.com!

Sometimes it’s used to emphasize that even if it is a bubble it still has huge((h)yo͞oj) potential(pəˈtenCHəl), or to emphasize that current(ˈkə-rənt,ˈkərənt) top coins might be overtaken: Amazon(-zən,ˈaməˌzän) and Google came out of the bubble! Bitcoin might be Ask Jeeves!

It’s important to recognize(ˈrekigˌnīz,ˈrekə(g)ˌnīz) both the power of reasoning from first principles and the value of analogies. Failing to think from first principles can limit creativity and innovation(ˌinəˈvāSHən), with the adjacent(əˈjāsənt) possible(ˈpäsəbəl) blinding(blīnd) us to alternative(ôlˈtərnətiv) paradigms(ˈparəˌdīm) and solutions. Failing to make us of analogies can make it harder for innovation to take root within existing(igˈzistiNG) frameworks(ˈfrāmˌwərk) and paradigms, and blind us to the patterns(ˈpatərn) of the past that might repeat themselves.

Bringing this line of thought back to the blockchain space, it is helpful to use analogies to think about the state and development of the blockchain space, but it’s also important to point out that the analogies are not necessarily(ˌnesəˈse(ə)rəlē) apt(apt), and certainly(ˈsərtnlē) are not robust(rōˈbəst,ˈrōˌbəst) predictors of the future. To paraphrase(ˈparəˌfrāz) a friend: illustration(ˌiləˈstrāSHən) by analogy is very helpful, but reasoning by analogy is foolish(ˈfo͞oliSH).

And while it is important to, for instance, think about how to redesign(ˌrēdiˈzīn) a financial(fī-,fəˈnanCHəl) system from the ground up (perhaps using blockchain technology), it’s also crucial(ˈkro͞oSHəl) to develop and test stories of how both drastic(ˈdrastik) and incremental change may be realized(ˈrē(ə)ˌlīz) given the current state of systems.

https://medium.com/@jagordon/crypto-analogies-2a1b511211a2

“Marketing” just means being considerate(kənˈsidərət)

By Derek Sivers

Don’t confuse the word “marketing” with advertising(ˈadvərˌtīz), announcing(əˈnouns), spamming(spam), or giving away branded(brand) crap(krap).

Really, “marketing” just means being considerate.

Marketing means making it easy for people to notice(ˈnōtis) you, relate(riˈlāt) to you, remember you, and tell their friends about you.

Marketing means listening for what people need, and creating something surprisingly(sə(r)ˈprīziNG) special for them.

Marketing means getting to know people, making a deeper connection, and keeping in touch.

All of these are just considerate — looking at things from the other person’s point of view, and doing what’s best for them.

A lot of musicians(myo͞oˈziSHən) say, “I hate marketing!” So, yeah, if you thought marketing meant turning off your creativity, spending lots of money, and being annoying(əˈnoi-iNG), then it’s a good thing you don’t like that! Nobody likes that.

Just find creative ways to be considerate. That’s the best marketing.

https://sivers.org/cons

What’s really driving the boom(bo͞om) in wellness(ˈwelnis) foods?

By Elizabeth(iˈlizəbəTH) Hotson

Welcome to a new year - and perhaps, a ‘new you’. The latest, shiniest(ˈSHīnē), addition to the weight(wāt) loss(läs,lôs) industry(ˈindəstrē) is wellness - an Instagram search on the words reveals(riˈvēl) a staggering(ˈstagər) 15,315,754 posts.

The wellness industry is booming but is there any science(ˈsīəns) behind it? The concept(ˈkänˌsept) includes a panoply(ˈpanəplē) of different things from eating more vegetables(ˈvejtəbəl,ˈvəjətə-) to, at the extreme(ikˈstrēm) end, excluding(ikˈsklo͞odiNG) certain(ˈsərtn) food groups and adopting(əˈdäpt) a whole(hōl) new lifestyle.

Many people in the industry don’t like to describe ‘wellness’ as a diet(ˈdī-it), but Louise Foxcroft, a historian(hiˈstôrēən) and author(ˈôTHər) of A History of Dieting Over 2000 years, disagrees(ˌdisəˈgrē).

“There are so many diets for the general public and wellness is a more holistic(hōˈlistik) way of approaching(əˈprōCH) a healthy lifestyle; whether they say this is a diet or not, it is a diet. It’s a regime(riˈZHēm,rā-) to live by and the idea is that you would be slim(slim), because healthy is seen as slim, so there’s no getting away from it.”

There’s no shortage of businesses developing products to cater(ˈkātər) to the trend(trend). Rebekah Hall, founder and CEO of drinks firm, Botanic(bəˈtanikə) Lab, was an investment banker for 10 years before launching her company to capitalise(ˈkapətlˌīz) on the new market. Botanic Lab’s Refuel(rēˈfyo͞o(ə)l), for example, is a black liquid(ˈlikwid) drink which according to the label is ‘a hypertonic(ˌhīpərˈtänik) blend with medical grade(grād) charcoal(ˈCHärˌkōl), mighty(ˈmītē) raw(rô) cane(kān) grass(gras) and a citrus(ˈsitrəs) hit of raw yuzu.’

So, are people consuming drinks like these because it seems like an easier way of getting healthy than going out and doing some exercise(ˈeksərˌsīz)?

…
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180111-whats-driving-the-boom-in-wellness-food-products

Work

WORK

INT: CRAIG’S HOUSE.

Craig is a frustrated(ˈfrəsˌtrātid), overworked man. At the dinner table his children are complaining about not wanting to do their homework.

CRAIG

When I was your age, my mom used to tell me, “You can do anything.” She believed it, too. That I could be a firefighter(ˈfīrˌfītər) or the president(ˈprez(ə)dənt,ˈprezəˌdent) or anything. She believed that people just find love and hard work pays off and luck will find you and you’ll get your big break(brāk) and everyone can eventually make it to the top.

That is wishful thinking, kiddos(ˈkidō). You won’t get to be something just because you think you deserve(dəˈzərv) it. Coming out of college, I believed that people would come askme to write for them. That I wouldn’t have to put days into writing an article, pitch it to them, and then have them reject it. That’s a real thing that happens. No one is going to push you to succeed because no one else really cares about you that much.

If you don’t do your homework, get good grades(grād), and keep pushing yourselves, you won’t just get to be a doctor or a lawyer(ˈloi-ər,ˈlôyər) or even a checkout clerk(klərk). You’ll just be a sad, unemployed loser(ˈlo͞ozər) or worse. You might end up some overworked slob(släb) who comes home to his ungrateful(ˌənˈgrātfəl) children every night who complain about how they’re being forced to learn things and become smarter, more empowered people. You can’t just “be” anything you want to be. You have to do the work.

https://www.instantmonologues.com/preview/Work

The Fizz(fiz) That Time Forgot

Sweet, bubbly(ˈbəb(ə)lē), and chemically(ˈkemikəl) colorful, gazoz quenched(kwenCH) Israel’s(ˈizrēəl,ˈizˌrāl) thirst(THərst) for much of the 20th century. Now, thanks to a new generation of chefs(SHef) and tinkerers, it’s being reimagined(ˌrē-iˈmajən) for a new generation.

By Devra Ferst

It’s a hot and sticky(ˈstikē) August day in Tel Aviv when I reach the Levinsky(li) Market. I’m lost, so I wander until I spot them: a cluster(ˈkləstər) of people carrying plastic(ˈplastik) glasses of pastel(paˈstel)-hued soda decorated(ˈdekəˌrāt) with small bouquets(bo͞o-,bōˈkā) of herbs((h)ərb). The stream of bubbles(ˈbəbəl) and flowers(ˈflou(-ə)r) originates(əˈrijəˌnāt) at a kiosk(ˈkēˌäsk) barely(ˈbe(ə)rlē) big enough to hold its two staffers(ˈstafər). Officially(əˈfiSHəlē), the shop is called Cafe(kaˈfā,kə-) Levinsky 41, but some refer(riˈfər) to it as “the Susita place(plās)” after the vintage(ˈvintij), Israeli-made white micro(ˈmīkrō)-truck(trək) that’s parked outside. Others just call it the shop owned by the crazy guy.

“People call it the way they remember it,” says owner Benny Briga, the crazy(ˈkrāzē) guy in question. Personally, I think of the kiosk in terms of its signature(-ˌCHo͝or,ˈsignəCHər) drink, which is what has brought me to the market: To me, it’s simply the gazoz shop.

Gazoz is, at its core, a mixture(ˈmiksCHər) of soda water and sweet fruit syrup(ˈsirəp,ˈsər-) that can come in artificial(ˌärtəˈfiSHəl) electric(iˈlektrik) colors in flavors(ˈflāvər) like raspberry(-b(ə)rē,ˈrazˌberē), orange, and grape(grāp). Almost a sparkling(ˈspärk(ə)liNG) bug juice, it’s a fizzy(ˈfizē) antidote(ˈantiˌdōt) to the country’s sweltering(ˈswelt(ə)riNG) summers. But a glass of gazoz is more than just thirst(THərst) quenching(kwenCH): It occupies(ˈäkyəˌpī) a deep place in the Israeli psyche(ˈsīkē). “For me as an Israeli, it [carries] so much memory,” says chef Einat Admony. Waxing(waks) nostalgic(näˈstaljik,nə-) and almost giddy(ˈgidē) at the mention of the name, she jokes: “It’s my next restaurant name.” Today, both personal and cultural(ˈkəlCHərəl) nostalgia(näˈstaljə,nə-) for the drink have driven a small group of gazoz makers to reinterpret(ˌrē-inˈtərprət) and revive(riˈvīv) it.

…
https://www.tastecooking.com/fizz-time-forgot/

IKEA: Our Heritage(ˈheritij)

The values and culture of Inter IKEA Group reflect the entrepreneurial(ˌäntrəprəˈno͝orēəl) spirit(ˈspirit) of Ingvar Kamprad. Our values have their roots in the Småland region of Sweden, where Ingvar Kamprad was born and grew up. It is a stony(ˈstōnē) and rather rugged(ˈrəgid) landscape(ˈlan(d)ˌskāp) where the inhabitants(inˈhabitnt) were often forced to get by on small means and make use of the scarce(ske(ə)rs) resources at their disposal(disˈpōzəl). Smålanders have a reputation(ˌrepyəˈtāSHən) for being thrifty(ˈTHriftē) and innovative(ˈinəˌvātiv), with a straightforward(ˌstrātˈfôrwərd), no-nonsense(ˈnänˌsens) approach – to problem-solving in general, and to business challenges(ˈCHalənj) in particular. This “Småland legacy(ˈlegəsē)” is built into the IKEA culture and values, all over the world.

In the practical(ˈpraktikəl) business world of today, this means that IKEA values encourage a constant desire(dəˈzī(ə)r) for renewal(riˈn(y)o͞oəl) and a willingness(ˈwiliNGnis) to make changes – always with a cost-conscious mindset, in all areas of operations. The values also imply(imˈplī) a willingness to try solutions outside of normal conventions(kənˈvenCHən). This means daring(ˈde(ə)riNG) to be different, while maintaining(mānˈtān) practical connections with day-to-day activities. Humbleness(ˈhəmbəl) in approaching tasks, and simplicity(simˈplisitē) in the way of doing things are also cornerstones(ˈkôrnərˌstōn) of the IKEA culture.

The IKEA spirit is based on a belief that no method is more effective than a good example. In the IKEA business, each co-worker is important, each has a responsibility, and only by working together (tillsammans in Swedish) can we really make a difference.

The IKEA values have proven to be viable(ˈvīəbəl) in an international context. They are one of the most important factors behind all of our achievements(əˈCHēvmənt) across many IKEA organisations(ˌôrgəniˈzāSHən). By keeping them alive and well-rooted, we will continue to turn future challenges into opportunities(ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onitē).

Most things still remain(riˈmān) to be done.

http://www.inter.ikea.com/en/about-us/heritage/