Wine researchers are developing a fast and simple method of authenticating wine – a potential solution against the estimated billions of dollars’ worth of wine fraud globally, but also offering a possible means of building regional branding. The team of scientists were able to identify the geographical origins of wines originating from three wine regions...
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Tokyo’s Voluntary Standstill May Have Stopped COVID-19 in Its Tracks
Why did Japan largely contain COVID-19 despite famously jam-packed Tokyo and despite the country’s proximity to China? With no penalties and only requests for cooperation, Japan’s state of emergency somehow averted the large-scale outbreaks seen elsewhere. At least one viable answer has now emerged. A new comparative analysis of people’s mobility during the virus’ first...
California Voters Decide Uber and Lyft Drivers Are ‘Contractors’ as Gig Workers Continue Search for a Livable Wage
Uber, TaskRabbit and other ride-hailing and delivery service companies in California can keep classifying their workers as independent contractors rather than employees after California voters approved a measure known as Proposition 22, according to the state’s still-unofficial tally. The fundamental question of whether Uber drivers and similar workers should be considered employees or contractors has...
An Embarrassing Failure for Election Pollsters
Election polling is facing yet another reckoning following its uneven-at-best performance in this year’s voting. Although the outcome in the 2020 presidential race remained uncertain the next day, it was evident that polls collectively faltered, overall, in providing Americans with clear indications as to how the election would turn out. And that misstep promises to...
How Can Fashion Brands Respond to Consumers’ Prioritization of Social Values?
The fashion and luxury segments of the market are synonymous with carefully curated branding and strict reputation management, which have been tested significantly amid the onset and continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Against that background, management consultancy McKinsey & Company, together with the Business of Fashion, have recently published a report titled The State...
Off-White is Suing an Ice Cream Chain Over Allegedly Infringing Merch and Store Decor
Off-White is suing a California ice cream chain, arguing that the unrelated party has run afoul of the law by selling products that bear – and adorning its outposts with – marks that are “confusingly similar” to Off-White’s own well-known trademarks. In the complaint that it filed in a California federal court on Tuesday, Off-White claims that...
Only the Richest Ancient Athenians Paid Taxes – and They Bragged About It
In ancient Athens, only the very wealthiest people paid direct taxes, and these went to fund the city-state’s most important national expenses – the navy and honors for the gods. While today it might sound astonishing, most of these top taxpayers not only paid happily, but boasted about how much they paid. Money was just...
The Dangers of Collecting Drinking Water
Collecting drinking water in low and middle income countries can cause serious injury, particularly for women, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. A new international study published in BMJ Global Health reveals dangers including falls, traffic accidents, animal attacks, and fights, which can result in broken bones, spinal injuries, lacerations, and...
The Beauty and Brilliance of Baxsan, One of the Most Popular Somali Singers of All Time
Seynab Haji Ali Siigaale, widely known as Baxsan, passed away on 19 October 2020 and was buried a day later in Sheikh Sufi Cemetery behind the Somali National Theatre building in the capital Mogadishu. Along with the likes of Halima Khalif Omar ‘Magool’, Baxsan was one of the most popular female Somali singers of all...
Social Media Could Help Lagos Police Officers Fight Crime: Why It’s Not Happening
Social media platforms are increasingly being used to fight crime and pursue investigations. They offer a means for police departments to share information with the public. They also enable the police to engage and involve their communities in new and potentially transformative ways. The use of social media in global crime-fighting is extensive. Common uses...